Adsorption of aromatic compounds from solutions in <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-heptane by modified nanoporous silica

The adsorption of anisole, anthracene, benzoic acid, benzene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, phenol, and carbon tetrachloride from dilute solutions in n-heptane on the modified nanoporous silica sorbents, Silasorb C18 and Phenyl-Silasorb, at 298 K is investigated by developing liquid chromatography. The Henry law constants and Helmholtz energy of adsorption for these aromatic compounds are calculated from their retention values. The adsorption isotherms of the aromatic compounds are calculated from their chromatographic peaks with allowances made for longitudinal smearing. A correlation is made between the Henry law constants calculated from the retention values of the aromatic compounds and from their adsorption isotherms. The influences of the surface modification of the silica adsorbents and the molecular structure of the aromatic compounds on their elution from the chromatographic column with n-heptane as the eluent are discussed. Contributions of functional groups in the molecules of the aromatic compounds to the Helmholtz energy of adsorption on different surfaces are estimated.