Supercritical fluid chromatography mobile phase selection

To apply a screening approach to proactive method development, analyses of selectivity samples under a variety of mobile phase conditions are conducted on different HPLC columns. HPLC columns should be as orthogonaT as possible and variations in solvent composition should be designed to maximize the probability of selectivity differences. Alternate separation techniques, such as ion exchange chromatography (IC), supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), or capillary electrophoresis (CE) may also be used to obtain orthogonality. 

Finally, supercritical fluid chromatography, in which a supercritical fluid is used as the mobile phase, was introduced by Klesper [164-166]. SFE directly coupled to SFC provides an extremely powerful analytical tool. The efficient, fast and selective extraction capabilities of supercritical fluids allows quantitative extraction and direct transfer of the selected solutes of interest to be accomplished to the column, often without the need for further sample treatment or cleanup. Extraction selectivity is usually achieved by adjusting the pressure of the supercritical fluid at constant temperature or, less often, by changing the temperature of the supercritical fluid at constant pressure. SFE coupled with packed column SFC has found... 

O. Gyllenhaal and J. Vessman, Packed-column supercritical fluid chromatography of omeprazole and related compounds selection of column support with triethylamine and methanol-modified carbon dioxide as the mobile phase, J. Chromatogr., 628 215 (1993). 

Wright, B.W., Kalinoski, H.T., and Smith, R.D., 1985. Investigation of retention and selectivity effects using various mobile phases in capillary supercritical fluid chromatography. Analytical Chemistry, 57 2823-9. 

Over the past twenty years, fluids above their critical temperatures and pressures have been used for a variety of analytical purposes first as mobile phases in chromatography [1,2], thus giving rise to supercritical fluid chromatography, and then as solvents for the selective extraction of species — from solid samples in most cases [3-5]. 

Retention and selectivity in supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) are a complex function of many experimental variables and are not as easily rationalized as in the case of gas and liquid chromatography. Retention in SFC is dependent on temperature, density (and pressure drop), stationary-phase composition, and the mobile-phase composition. Many of these variables are interactive and do not change in a simple or easily predicted manner [1]. 

Supercritical fluid chromatography is a very important chromatographic technique still underestimated and underutilized. It presents characteristics similar to both GC and HPLC, although having its own characteristics. Whereas the column temperature control is the way to achieve a good separation in GC and the solvating power of the mobile phase is controlling factor in HPLC, in SFC the density of the fluid is the major factor to be optimized. Both packed (LC-like) and capillary (GC-like) columns have been used in this technique, which has found applications in practically all areas in which GC or HPLC has shown to be the selected separation technique. 

Supercritical fluid chromatography is compatible with both HPLC and GC detectors. As a result, optical detectors, flame detectors and spectroscopic detectors can be used. The FID is the most common detector used. However, the mobile phase composition, column type and flow rate must be taken into account when the detector is selected. Some care must also be taken such that the detector components are capable of withstanding the high pressures of SFC. 

There are two general approaches for the separation of enantiomers [1-4,28-32]. The direct method is based on the formation of transient diastereomer association complexes with a chiral selector immobilized in the stationary phase, or added to the mobile phase. The former approach requires the use of special stationary phases (section 10.4) while the later uses conventional stationary phases with special additives included in the mobile phase (section 10.5). When preparative applications are contemplated the use of immobilized chiral selectors is the more common approach. Method selection also depends on the choice of the separation mode. Table 10.2. While chiral stationary phases are the only choice for gas chromatography [16,28,33-38], and are used almost exclusively for supercritical fluid chromatography [39-43] and capillary electrochromatography [44-47], they also dominate the practice of liquid chromatography... 

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