Low flow rate modifier addition in packed capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography

Columns in analytical-scale supercritical fluid chromatography: From traditional to unconventional chemistries

Within this review, we thoroughly explored supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) columns used across > 3000 papers published from the first study carried out under SFC conditions in 1962 to the end of 2022. We focused on the open tubular capillary, packed capillary, and packed columns, their chemistries, dimensions, and trends in used stationary phases with correlation to their specific interactions, advantages, drawbacks, used instrumentation, and application field. Since the 1990s, packed columns with liquid chromatography and SFC-dedicated stationary phases for chiral and achiral separation are predominantly used. These stationary phases are based on silica support modified with a wide range of chemical moieties. Moreover, numerous unconventional stationary phases were evaluated, including porous graphitic carbon, titania, zirconia, alumina, liquid crystals, and ionic liquids. The applications of unconventional stationary phases are described in detail as they bring essential findings required for further development of the supercritical fluid chromatography technique.

Analysis of non-saponifiable lipids by super-/subcritical-fluid chromatography

Because of the particular properties of carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide/modifier mobile phases, super- or subcritical-fluid chromatography (SFC) can be an alternative to more classical chromatographic methods such as gas chromatography (GC) or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the separation of unsaponifiable lipids. These fluids can also be helpful in the extraction and/or the concentration steps of sterols, tocopherols or carotenoids from complex samples. Supercritical extraction, off-line prefractionation or semi-preparative supercritical fluid chromatography, carried out before the analysis are described. The effects on separation of analytical parameters such as pressure, nature of and modifier percentage or stationary phase nature are also reported. The performance of capillary, packed or capillary packed columns is discussed, as well as the consequences of their use (choice of stationary phases, type of coupled detector). Numerous examples of fine separations are reported.

Tuning of mobile and stationary phase polarity for the separation of polar compounds by SFC

The separation of polar compounds by supercritical-fluid chromatography (SFC) is reviewed. New developments in mobile and stationary phase tuning are reviewed for packed and packed capillary SFC. In terms of mobile phase polarity adjustment, new pure and multiple component fluids are presented. The approach of tuning the polarity of the stationary phase as a way of increasing the range of polar compounds analyzed by SFC using pure CO(2) is discussed using either silica-based or new materials as stationary phase. Chiral, liquid crystal and polymer-based stationary phases coated on particles are widely covered in this review as an interesting approach to separate polar compounds avoiding the major drawbacks associated to the use of modifiers in SFC.

Progress in packed column supercritical fluid chromatography: materials and methods

This article summarizes recent developments in packed column supercritical fluid chromatography. Silica-based chemically bonded sorbents, similar to those used for HPLC, are widely used with solvent-modified fluids containing additives to suppress undesirable solute-sorbent interactions that lead to poor peak shapes. Composition programming is the most useful approach to gradient elution separations since solvent-modified fluids have low compressibility. Packed column SFC is most useful for the separation of mixtures usually separated by normal-phase HPLC. Compared to normal-phase HPLC it offers faster separations, higher efficiencies, faster column re-equilibration, and a wider range of experimental variables for optimization. Packed column SFC is being increasingly selected for the analytical and preparative separation of racemic mixtures using enantiomer-selective sorbents.