chromatographic

Chromatographic is an adjective relating to chromatography, a family of techniques for separating and analyzing components of a mixture. In a typical chromatographic separation, a sample is introduced onto or into a stationary phase, and a mobile phase carries the components through or over that phase. Different components interact differently with the stationary phase, or with the mobile phase, causing them to move at different speeds and to separate over time.

Chromatography includes gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC). LC encompasses high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). Other modalities include thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and paper chromatography, which are often used for rapid checks or teaching. Specialized forms include ion-exchange chromatography, size-exclusion (gel filtration) chromatography, affinity chromatography, and chiral chromatography.

Key factors influencing separation are the properties of the stationary phase (such as silica or polymeric bonded phases) and the composition of the mobile phase (solvent or buffer). Temperature, flow rate, and gradient versus isocratic conditions also affect resolution. Quantitative and qualitative information is obtained with detectors such as UV-Vis absorbance, refractive index, fluorescence, or mass spectrometry when coupled (LC-MS or GC-MS).

Applications span pharmaceuticals, environmental monitoring, food safety and analysis, clinical chemistry, and proteomics and metabolomics. In method development, analysts select a column, mobile phase, and operating parameters to achieve adequate resolution, repeatability, and sensitivity.