ChromatographyElectrospray

Chromatography is a laboratory technique used to separate mixtures. It works by passing a mixture, dissolved in a mobile phase, through a stationary phase. The stationary phase can be a solid or a liquid supported on a solid. Different components of the mixture travel at different rates through the stationary phase, leading to their separation. This difference in travel speed is based on their differential partitioning between the mobile and stationary phases, which is influenced by factors such as polarity, solubility, and molecular size.

There are many types of chromatography, categorized by the mobile phase and the stationary phase. Gas chromatography uses a gas as the mobile phase and is suitable for volatile compounds. Liquid chromatography uses a liquid as the mobile phase and can be applied to a wider range of compounds. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) uses a thin layer of stationary phase coated on a plate, while column chromatography uses a packed column. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a sophisticated form of liquid chromatography that uses high pressure to force the mobile phase through the column, resulting in faster and more efficient separations.

Chromatography is a versatile tool employed across various scientific disciplines, including chemistry, biology, medicine, and environmental science. It is used for analyzing the composition of substances, purifying compounds, and identifying unknown substances. For example, it can be used to separate pigments in plants, analyze drugs in biological samples, or detect pollutants in water. The separated components can then be detected and quantified using various detectors.