Colin Pipe

Sustainability concerns are renewing interest in SFC, often as a substitute for HPLC. With the broader application of SFC, we need a better understanding of selectivity in SFC, where stationary phase classification is not well established. This study assessed and measured the selectivity differences afforded by three prototype SFC phases.

The approach described here will help chromatographers produce highly efficient method development strategies for reversed-phase LC separations in a relatively short time frame.

The selectivity of different combinations of organic modifiers, pH, and types of reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) materials has been characterized using Tanaka column characterization, linear solvent energy relationships (LSER), and selectivity correlations. The three characterization techniques highlighted the potential complementary selectivity of these phases and conditions as well as the type and dominancy of some of the retention mechanisms involved. Subsequently, selectivity differences were proven to be valid in the practical separation of acids, bases, and neutral analytes. This paper aims to assist chromatographers in producing highly efficiency method development strategies for reversed-phase LC separations in a relatively short time frame.