3.

2 Classification of Chromatographic Methods

Two Basic Types
1. Column Chromatography
 Stationary phase- held in a narrow tube
 Mobile phase - forced through tube under pressure/by gravity
Classification of Column Chromatographic Methods

General Classification Specific Stationary Phase Type of Equilibrium Some notes and definitions
Method

Gas Chromatography (GC) Gas-liquid Liquid adsorbed Partition between gas Advantages of GLC
(GLC) or bonded to a and liquid
solid surface 1. Simple and inexpensive equipment.

Gas-solid Solid Adsorption 2. Rapid.

3. Unparalleled resolution (with capillary columns).

4. Easily interfaced with mass spectroscopy.

Liquid Chromatography (LC) Liquid-liquid, Liquid adsorbed Partition between  Most widely used of all liquid chromatographic procedures.
or partition or bonded to a immiscible liquids  The stationary phase is a solvent that is held in place by
solid surface adsoption on the surface of packing particles.

Liquid-solid, Solid Adsorption  The analyte species are adsorbed onto the surface of a polar
or adsorption packing.
 The stationary phase is the surface of a finely divided polar
solid, the analyte competes with the mobile phase for sites on
the surface of the packing, and retention is the result of
adsorption forces.

Ion Exchange Ion-exchange Ion exchange  Analytes are ions dissolved in an aqueous mobile phase.
resin  The stationary phase is a finely ground ion-exchange resin.
 Ions of like charge are separated by elution from a column
packed with a finely divided resin.

Size Liquid in Partition/sieving  New liquid chromatographic procedure

exclusion interstices of a  Fractionation is based upon molecular size, it is particularly
polymeric solid applicable to high-molecular-weight species.
 In gel permeation, the packing is hydrophobic and it is used to
separate nonpolar species.
  In gel filtration the packing is hydrophilic and it is used for
separating polar species.

Affinity Group-specific Partition between  Liquid bonded-phase has greater stability because covalent
liquid bonded to a surface liquid and bonds are involved, the stationary phase is an organic species
solid surface mobile liquid that is attached to the surface of the packing particles by
chemical bonds.

Supercritical fluid Organic species Partition between  A hybrid of gas and liquid chromatography that combines
chromatography (SFC) bonded to a solid supercritical fluid and some of the best features of each.
(mobile phase: supercritical surface bonded surface  An important property of supercritical fluid is their ability to
fluid) dissolve large nonvolatile molecules.
 The intermediate diffusivities and viscosities of supercritical
fluids result in faster separations than are achieved with liquid
chromatography and are accompanied by less zone spreading
than is encountered in gas chromatography.

 Critical Temperature - the temperature above which a distinct

liquid phase for a substance cannot exist.
 Supercritical fluid - is the physical state of a substance when
it is held above its critical temperature.

2. Planar Chromatography
 Stationary phase- supported on a flat plate/in the pores of a paper
 Mobile phase - moves through tube stationary phase by capillary action/influence of gravity

Source:
Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry, 8th ed., Chapter 30 by D.A. Skoog, D.M. West, F.J. Holler and S.R. Crouch