Chromatography Flashcards
What is the key fact about chromatography?
This is about spendint time in phases
Analytes spend the same amount of time in the mobile phase. Only the time spent in the stationary phase changes
What are the 5 ways of separating analytes?
- Adsorption
- Partition
- Ion-exchange
- Size exclusion
- Affinity
Define dead time
Time for unretauned solute to go through the column
Define adjusted retention time
Retention time - dead time
Define retention factor
Adjusted retension time / dead time
What is the column separation factor?
- A fraction >= 1 showing how well the sample separate
- Retention factor (A) / Retention factor (B)
Define resolution
Ratio between two peak maxima and their average width at base
Define partition coefficient
Equilibrium between mobile and stationary phases
What does peak fronting signify?
Column overloading
What does peak tailing signify?
Uneven stationary phase
What causes peak tailing?
Some sites retaining the solute mole strongly than others
Define Plate
Represents the theoretical distance required for one adsorption-desorption step of a solute between the stationary and mobile phases
Define peak capacity
Maximum theoretical number of solutes that can be baseline resolved on a given column
Purnell equation
Which three factors does the equation combine?
- Efficiency
- Retention factor
- Selectivity
Purnell equation
How can efficiency be increased?
2 ways
- Increasing column length
- Using more efficient column
Purnell equation
Which factor affects the resolution most?
Selectivity
What is the principle underlying optimising resolution by adjusting retention factor?
Make solute spend less time in the mobile phase and more in the stationary
How to increase retention factor in GC?
Lower the temperature
What is the general elution problem?
Adjusting the retention factor to improve the resolution between one pair of solutes increases the retention times of later solutes
3 methods to improve resolution
- Adjust retension factor (k’)
- Adjust column selectivity (alpha)
- Adjust column efficiency (N)
How to adjust column selectivity (alpha) in GC?
Change stationary phase
How to adjust column selectivity (alpha) in LC?
Change mobile phase
3 factors affecting peak broadening
- Multiple paths (eddie diffusion)
- Longitudinal diffusion
- Resistance to mass transfer
What is a key contributor towards Eddie diffusion?
Particle size. For larger particles the solute needs to travel further to go around it
How can logitudinal diffusion be reduced?
Make the solute go through the column faster
GB
How does gas mass affect the diffusivity
The lighter the gas the greater the diffusivity
GC
What are the requirements for mobile phase?
- Chemically inert
- Must not significantly influence analyte partition coefficient between phases
GC
Name the two types of columns
- Packed
- Capillary (tubular)
GC
Which column is longer?
Capillary
GC
Which column is broader
Packed