Multicomponent (n ≥ 3) Sorption Isotherms in Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography: The Effect of Immobilized Eluent on the Retention of Analytes

Adsorption of Binary Solvents on Chiral Stationary Phases with Grafted Macrocyclic Antibiotics

Abstract

A study is performed of the adsorption of water–methanol and water–acetonitrile mixtures on chiral stationary phases (CSPs) Chirobiotic R, Chirobiotic T, and Nautilus-E with grafted macrocyclic antibiotics ristocetin A, teicoplanin, and eremomycin, respectively. The patterns of adsorption on the indicated CSPs are qualitatively the same, and differ only by quantitative indicators. Adsorption isotherms of excess water from binary solvents have adsorption azeotrope points and show the preferred absorption of water in the range of pure organic component to an azeotrope point in the range of 60–75 mol % for H2О–МеОН and 80–90 mol % for H2O–MeCN systems. It is shown that the thickness of the adsorption phase in the first case is less than one nominal molecular layer (0.10–0.13 nm). For H2O–MeCN, it is 3–4 molecular layers (0.88–1.05 nm). Activity coefficients are calculated for the components of solutions in surface layers. The coefficients indicate the systems deviate considerably from the properties of an ideal adsorption solution. Reasons for this behavior are discussed.

Thermodynamic Insights into the Separation of Carotenoids in Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography

The retention mechanism of four major carotenoids, two xanthophylls (i.e., lutein and zeaxanthin) and two carotenes (i.e., lycopene and β-carotene), was investigated in reversed-phase liquid chromatography with the aim of thermodynamic analysis. The experimental variables considered in this study were the composition of mobile phase (MP) and the temperature. Chromatographic elutions were undertaken under linear, isocratic conditions by using a C18 stationary phase, four different MP compositions (by varying the ratio methanol/acetonitrile from 66.5/28.5 to 47.5/47.5 v/v), and column temperatures in the range 283–313 K. Traditional Van't Hoff analysis has been used to estimate changes of standard enthalpy (ΔH°) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) associated with the solute transfer from the mobile to the stationary phase at each mobile phase composition. The thermodynamic quantities have been correlated to the structure of investigated carotenoids and their interaction with the octadecyl silica stationary phase.

A simple method for measuring excess adsorption isotherms of organic eluent components on reversed-phase packing materials

A simple frontal analysis method has been developed for the reliable measurement of excess adsorption isotherms of an organic component on reversed-phase adsorbents in a series of programmed concentration steps. In the present method, a peak, which is produced by refractive index change in column eluate, is detected at 589 nm; it represents the elution volume of the boundary. The method is applied to the measurement of the excess adsorption isotherms of organic eluent components from water on commercially available reversed-phase stationary phases. The results are in good agreement with the previously reported isotherms. We also measure the excess adsorption isotherms of organic eluent components from solutions containing electrolytes. There are not any interference peaks on the elution traces. The method is thus reliably applicable to the evaluation of the excess adsorption of organic eluent components in practical systems.