Supercritical Fluid Chromatography solvation

Smith and Udseth [154] first described SFE-MS in 1983. Direct fluid injection (DFT) mass spectrometry (DFT-MS, DFI-MS/MS) utilises supercritical fluids for solvation and transfer of materials to a mass-spectrometer chemical ionisation (Cl) source. Extraction with scC02 is compatible with a variety of Cl reagents, which allow a sensitive and selective means for ionising the solute classes of interest. If the interfering effects of the sample matrix cannot be overcome by selective ionisation, techniques based on tandem mass spectrometry can be used [7]. In these cases, a cheaper and more attractive alternative is often to perform some form of chromatography between extraction and detection. In SFE-MS, on-line fractionation using pressure can be used to control SCF solubility to a limited extent. The main features of on-line SFE-MS are summarised in Table 7.20. It appears that the direct introduction into a mass spectrometer of analytes dissolved in supercritical fluids without on-line chromatography has not actively been pursued. 

Furthermore, supercritical CO2 does not behave as merely a mixture of liquid and gaseous CO2, but often exhibits an exceptional ability to solvate molecules in a specific way. The removal of caffeine from coffee relies on the chromatographic separation of caffeine and the other organic substances in a coffee bean supercritical fluid chromatography is a growing and exciting branch of chemistry. 

Supercritical fluid chromatography is the name for all chromatographic methods in which the mobile phase is supercritical under the conditions of analysis and the solvating properties of the fluid have a measurable effect on the separation. SFC has some advantages over GC and HPLC it extends the molecular weight range of GC, thermally labile compounds can be separated at lower temperatures, compounds without chromophores can be sensitively detected, and the use of open-tubular and packed columns is feasible. SFC can be employed in both the analysis of natural pigments and synthetic dyes, however it has not been frequently applied in up-to-date analytical practice. 

Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is an intermediate chromatographic technique between GC and HPLC. It depends upon the fact that when a fluid becomes supercritical (both the temperature and pressure are at or above its critical point) it develops some of the solvating properties of a liquid whilst retaining the low viscosity of a gas. Hence, mass transfer (essential to efficient chromatography) is more akin to that of GC than HPLC, but many compounds can be chromatographed at temperatures much lower than what would be required by GC, so some thermally labile compounds are amenable to SFC where they would degrade under GC conditions [28]. 

Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is a GC method of analysis of compounds in systems where normal GC presents resolution difficulties (Lee and Markides, 1987). A supercritical fluid has properties at a critical temperature intermediate between a liquid and a gas. At and above this critical temperature, a gas cannot be compressed into a liquid, irrespective of the pressure, but it solvates solid matter as if it were a liquid. A supercritical fluid diffuses freely into and out of adsorbent pores with a minimum of resistance. A major advantage of SFC chromatography is its ability to effect separation of oligomers without derivatization. 

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. 

Capillary supercritical fluid chromatography has been demonstrated as a viable alternative for the analysis of food components which are sensitive to temperature such as flavors and fragrances. Supercritical fluids have long been recognized for their unique solvating characteristics. One of the most common uses of supercritical fluids is for the extraction of components of interest from natural materials (i.e. caffeine from coffee or oil from soybeans). Early in its development supercritical fluid chromatography (SPC) was used for the analysis of natural materials such as flavors and other food components because the technique is well suited for the analysis of compounds which thermally degrade. In this paper, the use of capillary SFC for the analysis of food components is discussed. Examples of the capillary SFC analysis of fats and flavors as well as food contaminants such as pesticides are presented. 

Pyo, D. Li, W. Lee, M.L. Weckwerth, J.D. Carr, P.W. Addition of methanol to the mobile phase in packed capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography retention mechanisms from linear solvation energy relationships. J. Chromatogr. A. 1996, 753, 291-298. 

Supercritical fluid extraction (SEE) uses a supercritical fluid, such as CO2, to extract the required compound from the matrix. This works weU due to the high solvating power and density of the solvating liquid. Supercritical fluid chromatography on... 

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