Kromatografian

Kromatografian, or chromatography, is a family of laboratory techniques used to separate components of a mixture based on differential affinities to a stationary phase and a mobile phase. It supports both identification of individual substances and quantitative measurement of their amounts.

The main approaches are planar methods, such as paper chromatography and thin-layer chromatography, and column-based methods, including gas chromatography and liquid chromatography. In column chromatography, the mobile phase travels through a packed or capillary column containing a stationary phase. Substances interact with the stationary phase to varying degrees, causing them to move at different speeds and separate as they pass through the column. In gas chromatography the mobile phase is a carrier gas, while in liquid chromatography the mobile phase is a liquid solvent or solvent mixture. Detectors such as UV–visible, refractive index, flame ionization (FID), or mass spectrometry are used to identify and quantify the separated components.

Principles central to kromatografian include partitioning, adsorption, ion exchange, and size exclusion, which determine selectivity and efficiency. Key performance measures are resolution, efficiency (theoretical plates), and capacity. Experimental conditions—such as temperature, flow rate, and column chemistry—significantly affect results.

Historically, chromatography began with Mikhail Tsvet in the early 20th century and evolved into a suite of modern techniques during the latter half of the century. Today it spans analytical applications in chemistry, biochemistry, environmental science, medicine, and industry, as well as preparative separations for compound isolation.