Size exclusion chromatography separation selectivity

Examples of the application of size-exclusion chromatography to the analysis of proteins. The separation in (a) uses a single column that in (b) uses three columns, providing a wider range of size selectivity. (Chromatograms courtesy of Alltech Associates, Inc. Deerfield, IL). 

To select a column for a particular analytical problem, the first step is to make a choice about the pore size(s) to be used for the separation. In general, one cannot expect that a single pore size will fulfill the needs of a separation. In size exclusion chromatography, it is more common that columns of different types are combined with each other to deliver the separation range needed for a particular analysis. Therefore, column banks with different pore sizes are frequently combined with each other to maximize the separation power for... 

Most size exclusion chromatography (SEC) practitioners select their columns primarily to cover the molar mass area of interest and to ensure compatibility with the mobile phase(s) applied. A further parameter to judge is the column efficiency expressed, e.g., by the theoretical plate count or related values, which are measured by appropriate low molar mass probes. It follows the apparent linearity of the calibration dependence and the attainable selectivity of separation the latter parameter is in turn connected with the width of the molar mass range covered by the column and depends on both the pore size distribution and the pore volume of the packing material. Other important column parameters are the column production repeatability, availability, and price. Unfortunately, the interactive properties of SEC columns are often overlooked. 

A more complicated, but flexible, system has been reported by Blomberg et al. (46). Here, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), normal phase EC (NPLC) and GC were coupled for the characterization of restricted (according to size) and selected (according to polarity) fractions of long residues. The seemingly incompatible separation modes, i.e. SEC and NPLC, are coupled by using an on-line solvent-evaporation step. 

The two techniques differ in that HDC employs a nonporous stationary phase. Separation is affected as a result of particles of different size sampling different velocities in the interstitial spaces. Size exclusion chromatography is accomplished by superimposing a steric selection mechanism which results from the use of a porous bed. The pore sizes may vary over a wide range and the separation occurs as a result of essentially the same processes present in the gel permeation chromatography of macromolecules. 

The separation of chemical species by size exclusion chromatography is more reproducible than any other type of chromatography. Once the SEC columns, the mobile phase (most often a pure solvent like THF or toluene), and the flow rate are selected, the retention volume (or retention time assuming the flow rate does not change) is primarily a function of linear molecular size, which can be obtained from the valence bond structure if the compound is known. Some of the chemical species can interact with the solvent forming complexes with an effective linear size greater than that of the molecule. This causes the expected retention volume, based on "free" molecular structure, to shift to a lower but very reproducible retention volume. Phenols in coal liquids form 1 1 complex with THF (9,10) and carry the effective linear molecular size to increase. As a result phenolic species elute sooner than expected from their... 

Separations that are achieved on the basis of the size of the molecules (e.g. size exclusion chromatography) are not dealt with in this book. Such separations are not selective, and hence there is no selectivity to be optimized. 

As the pore diameter increases in size (s decreases) relative to molecular or colloidal dimensions, less restrictions are imposed on the motions of contained species. Thus the exclusion effect gradually subsides as the pore size increases and consequently K-+1. For the separation of two molecules of different size, it is important to pick a pore diameter that will substantially exclude one species but not another. Pore size selection is thus of utmost importance in membrane science and in choosing a support for size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Aspects of pore size optimization in SEC based on the above partitioning theory have been developed [28]. 

Size exclusion chromatography is the premier polymer characterization method for determining molar mass distributions. In SEC, the separation mechanism is based on molecular hydrodynamic volume. For homopolymers, condensation polymers and strictly alternating copolymers, there is a correspondence between elution volume and molar mass. Thus, chemically similar polymer standards of known molar mass can be used for calibration. However, for SEC of random and block copolymers and branched polymers, no simple correspondence exists between elution volume and molar mass because of the possible compositional heterogeneity of these materials. As a result, molar mass calibration with polymer standards can introduce a considerable amount of error. To address this problem, selective detection techniques have to be combined with SEC separation. 

---