Solvation and Adsorption Effects in Gel Permeation Chromatography

Abstract

Saturated hydrocarbons are generally eluted according to molecular volumes in gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Other compounds, containing polar groups such as hydroxyl and carbonyl groups, deviate from the molecular volume/elution count relationship which is prepared using saturated hydrocarbons. The deviation is more or less observed regardless of the kinds of eluents. In this paper, this problem is investigated in detail with respect to infrared(IR) and proton magnetic resonance(NMR) spectra, and concentration dependences of peak heights and elution volumes in GPC. IR and NMR spectra reveal that alcohols, ketones and esters are strongly solvated by eluent molecules such as chloroform and tetrahydrofuran(THF). The solvation effect leads to faster elution for these compounds than expected for aliphatic hydrocarbons. On the other hand, the concentration dependences of elution counts and peak heights prove the adsorption of amines on polystyrene gel in chloroform. In fact, the elution rates of amines and polychlorides are retarded. In the case of aliphatic carboxylic acids, the elution mechanism is more complicated: association and adsorption effects would be overlapped.     

Adsorption Effects Observed in Gel Permeation Chromatography of Thiouracil

Abstract

In gel permeation chromatography (GPC), several compounds deviate from the molecular volume/elution count relationship which is prepared using satured hydrocarbons. In this paper, this problem is investigated in detail using thiouracil in aqueous solution as a model chromatographic adsorbate. The concentration dependences of elution counts and peak heights prove the adsorption of thiouracil on Sephadex G-25 when water is the solvent. Thus to investigate further the mechanisms of adsorption responsable for the chromatographic behaviour, thiouracil-Sephadex interac—tions were investigated by studying equilibrium adsorption. Isotherms of type IV of BDDT classification were found which are typically associated with a weak adsorption such as physisorption, on a porous solid. The effect of water structure perturbants, ionic strength and pH on this adsorption was consistent with the-hypothesis that with water as a solvent both aromatic adsorption and electrostatic interaction are the determinants of the affinity of this gel for a thiouracil compound. This may be particularly useful since results of equilibrium adsorption isotherms are frequently used to develop liquid chromatographic theories.     

Gel Permeation Chromatography of Polyelectrolytes

Abstract

The mechanisms are discussed which control the GPC elution of ionic solutes, both the polyelectrolytes and the low molecular salts. The processes involved are quite general and valid in organic and in aqueous solvents. The conclusion is that gel permeation chromatography is a powerfull method to characterize poly-electrolytes; and it is shown that the correct data on molecular weight distribution can be obtained when the ionic content in the eluent is larger than 5.10^?2 M and when the concentration injected is lower than the critical overlapping concentration. The interpretation of chromatograms can be performed using the universal calibration and a viscosimetric detector.     

Gaschromatographische Untersuchung der Adsorptionseigenschaften von Silicalit und ZSM-5

High silica molecular sieves (silicalite, ZSM-5) were tested as adsorbents for gas chromatographic trace analysis. Therefore the retention behaviour of low-boiling organic compounds (hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, amines, alcohols and ethers) on these materials was investigated. The specific retention volumes at different temperatures have been determined and elution orders and peak shapes were studied. The retention data allow a simple calculation of the breakthrough volumes (dynamic adsorption capacity) and the chromatographic characterisation of the adsorbents. Both nitrogen and oxygen containing compounds could not—or at least unreproducibely—be eluated up to 300°. The elution order and the peak shape of compounds with the same number of carbon atoms but different geometric and electronic structure (e.g.n-butenes;n-hexane, cyclohexane, benzene) can be explained by the action of exclusion effects and different diffusion barriers. On the basis of calculated breakthrough volumes we conclude that silicalite should be useful in the preconcentration of both saturated C₃–C₆ hydrocarbons and C₁–C₂ chlorinated hydrocarbons from gaseous streams.     

Solubilization chromatography : Phenols and Alcohols

Mixtures of four phenols and of six aliphatic alcohols C⁵ to C⁹ have been separated by solubilization chromatography, a procedure in which the mixture is eluted from an ion-exchange resin with aqueous solutions of acetic acid. The effects of such variables as cross-linking, flow rate, and concentration of eluent on the elution behavior of the compounds were studied, and the results were compared with thosc obtained for the lower alcohols in salting-out chromatography.     

Fluorometric Determination of Tryptophan and Its Brain Indoleamine Metabolites by Ion-Pair HPLC

Abstract

The reverse phase HPLC separation of tryptophan, serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, tryptamine and indoleacetic acid using two solvent systems (one of them containing an ion-pairing reagent) is reported. The two low concentration eluents employed are either formic acid/water or 0.005 mol/L solution of 1-pentane sulfonn ic acid. In both cases chromatographic separation was achieved through a linear gradient elution using methanol/water (7/3) as the high concentration eluent. We also describe the variation of retention volumes of these compounds as a function of the pH of the mobile phase. pH values ranged from 1.5 to 4.0 and were obtained by adding either formic acid or NaOH respectively to the low concentration eluent. Tryptophan and its metabolites were detected fluorometrically. All compounds show a linear response in the pg to μg range. The chromatographic separation achieved allows a concurrent measurement of tryptophan and its main indoleamine metabolites which coupled to the high sensitivity of fluorometric detection permits a direct estimation of these metabolic pathways in brain tissue.     

Gel Chromatography of Metal Acetylacetonates in Organic Solvents

Abstract

Tris (acetylacetonato)cobalt(III) and tris(acetylacetonato)-chromium(III) have been eluted by gel chromatography through styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer gel using an organic solvent as an eluent. Elution counts of these chelates in these solvents reflect some mutual interactions between metal chelate, gel and solvent. When benzene or chloroform was used as an eluent, sieving effect seems to be dominant for the separation of these chelates. Discussions were done in relation to solubility parameters of the solvent, the complex and the gel.     

Retention vs van der walls volume,pi-energy and hydrogen-bonding energy effects and enthalpy in liquid chromatography

Summary The logarithm of capacity ratios (logk’) of alkanes, alkyl alcohols, alkylbenzenes, halogenated benzenes and polyaromatic hydrocarbons are measured in reversedphase liquid chromatography at several temperatures using an octadecyl-bonded silica gel as the packing and acetonitrile/water mixtures as the eluent. The Δ (logk’) values are related to their van der Waals volumes, pi-energy and hydrogen-bonding energy effects and their enthalpies. The difference between the observed capacity ratios and the capacity ratios predicted from van der Waals volumes, pi-energy and hydrogen-bonding energy effects can be explained due to enthalpy effect of larger molecular size compounds. Presented at the 15th International Symposium on Chromatography, Nürnberg, October 1984     

Comparison of the Retention of Aliphatic Hydrocarbons with Polar Groups in RP-HPLC Systems with Different Modifiers of the Binary Eluent

The retention of aliphatic hydrocarbons with polar groups has been compared in respect to the separation selectivity changes in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with C18 stationary phase type and binary water eluent composed of methanol, acetonitrile, or tetrahydrofuran as modifiers. The changes in separation selectivity when one modifier is replaced by another in the eluent is explained, taking into consideration molecular interactions of the solutes with components of the stationary phase region, i.e., extracted modifier, and ordering of the stationary phase by the modifier.

     

Simple Free Amino Acid Separation by Reversed-Phase Ion-Pair Liquid Chromatography Using Column Switching Technique

Abstract

Reversed-phase ion-pair liquid chromatography with copper (II) ions (RP-IPC-Cu) was applied to develop a high speed separation of free amino acids. Dynamic gradient elution in RP-IPC-Cu could not achieve this purpose due to base line shift, therefore a column switching technique was used with a combination of different alkyl-bonded silica gel columns under isocratic elution. The flexibility of eluent components makes it easy to realize a rapid separation of a mixture of targeted amino acids.     

The determination of surface polarity of bismuth-molybdenum oxidation catalysts by gas chromatography

Summary The adsorption of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons was investigated using gas chromatography on Bi₂O₃, MoO₃ and mixed Bi–Mo oxidation catalysts. As a measure of polarity of a catalyst, the difference between the chemical potential of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons at the same surface concentration was used. The chemical potentials were estimated from elution chromatographic data. The data for C₆–C₉ methylbenzenes and C₆–C₁₂ n-alkanes were obtained in the temperature range 60–300°C in nitrogen as a carrier gas. Using air as carrier gas, introduction of water pulses on a catalyst does not change the elution characteristics. The elution of alkenes, alkynes, dienes and carbonyl compounds was disturbed by reaction of these compounds on the surface. The polarity of catalysts decreased in the order mixed Bi–Mo catalysts, MoO₃, Bi₂O₃. The polarities observed are compared with polarities of some other solids and liquids and the role of polarity of the surface in catalytic oxidation reactions is briefly discussed.     

Synthesis and Some Properties of Graft Copolymers with Uniform Polyoxyethylene Side Chains

Abstract

Graft copolymers with uniform polyoxyethylene (PEO) side chains were synthesized by transesterification of poly(methyl, ferf-butyl fumarate) (PMtBF) or poly(methyl, tert-butyl fumarate-co-styrene) poly-(MtBF-co-St) with potassium alkoxide of PEO monoether. The grafting efficiency increased with enhanced alkoxide reactivity, but the main factor in the ester exchange proved to be the structure of the backbone. This effect was ascribed to the thermodynamic incompatibility between fumaric polymers and PEO. The polymers were characterized by spectral methods, GPC, and DSC. In THF the graft copolymers comprising a polyfumarate backbone with PEO side chains eluted at higher elution volumes than did the backbone homopolymers. In benzene their intrinsic viscosities were lower than those of the backbones. In aqueous eluents, micelles were detected, and their aggregation number depended on the composition of the copolymer and the eluent.     

Elution Behaviors and Rationalized Calibration for Low-Molecular-Weight Polymers in Size Exclusion Chromatography

Abstract

Molecular weight relationships among oligostyrene, n-hydrocarbon, epoxy resin, p-cresol novolak resin, and oligoethylene glycol having the same retention volume were discussed using SEC gels of different pore sizes in chloroform and tetrahydrofuran. Gel capacity and the maximum number of components resolvable increased with the use of chloroform except the case of epoxy resin. Different elution behaviors of oligomers in different eluents make it difficult to use molar volumes or effective chain lengths as calibration parameters. The influence of the pore size and shape of the gel on the elution order among oligomers was negligible except some cases. Molecular weight conversion equations for several oligomers based on molecular weight of oligostyrene or n-hydrocarbon were derived. These equations make it possible to use oligostyrene or n-hydrocarbon as a reference standard when molecular weights of oligomers are measured.     

Separation of the α-Tocopherol Model Compound 2,2,5,7,8-Pentamethyl-6-Chromanol from its Oxidation Products by High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

A rapid method is described for the separation of the α-tocopherol model compound, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol (6), from 9 of its oxidation products in a single 35 minute run. Separated derivatives of 6, in order of elution, included the 5-cholesteroxymethyl (1), spirotrimer (2), spirodimer (3), 5-formyl (4), 5-ethoxymethyl (5), dihydroxydimer (7), chroman dione (8), quinone (9) and pyrano xanthene (10). A normal phase system, using gradient elution is employed, the eluent being monitored at 290 nm. The minimum detection limit for compounds 1–8 was 0.1 μg per injection and for compounds 9 and 10 it was 0.3 μg per injection.     

<Superscript>137</Superscript>Cs/<Superscript>137m</Superscript>Ba radioisotope generator based on 6-tungstocerate(IV) column matrix

Summary Barium-137m radioisotope generator of the chromatographic column elution mode based on loading 1.5 g 6-tungstocerate(IV) gel matrix with ~54 kBq of fission-produced ¹³⁷Cs is described. The elution performance of the generated ^137mBa radionuclide was investigated as a function of chemical composition of the eluent, flow rate, elution frequency, and age of the generator system. At comparable conditions, ^137mBa eluates with 0.9% NaCl-0.1M HCl eluent had higher elution yields and radionuclidic purity than with 0.1M NH₄Cl-0.1M HCl eluent. The generator has been repeatedly eluted for 311 days by passing 4810 ml of the saline eluent (10 ml × 481 elution operations) at a flow rate of 3.0 ml/min. Barium-137m eluates of high and reproducible elution yields, chemical and radionuclidic purities of (≥ 99.99%) were obtained.     

Aqueous size-exclusion chromatography of humic acids on a sephadex gel column with diluted phosphate buffers as eluents

The elution behavior of humic acids on a Sephadex gel column is senstive to the composition, concentration, and pH of the eluent. the concentrations of the eluent in the literature are too high to obtain the correct molecular size distribution of humic acids. By reducing the concentration of phosphate buffer eluents to about a hundredth of conventional concentrations, the correct distribution is obtained. In the proposed method, 1 ml of 0.1% sample solution is introduced into a Sephadex G-50 column (2.2-cm diameter, 55 cm long) and humic acids are eluted with a 10^?3 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 7–9) at a flow rate of 1 ml min^?1.     

Liquid Chromatographic Behavior of Nitrogen Compounds

Abstract

Chromatographic behavior of nitrogen compounds differed from others. The column efficiency was poor for the compounds and sometimes solutes were not eluted out from a column. Therefore, the elution volume of alkylamines, anilines, pyridines, pyrazines, quinolines and aminopolyaromatic hydrocarbons was measured on a methacrylate gel and octadecyl bonded silica gels in pH controlled acetonitrile/water mixtures. The solvent effect on the dissociation constant differs from that obtained for aromatic acids. The values in acetonitrile/water mixtures are smaller than those obtained in 100% water. The linear relation between log P and log k′ values is obtained in eluents of pH 7 where the retention of these compounds is maximized. Some hydrophobic fragmental constants are proposed from this result. Prediction of retention time of these compounds from their log P values can be done in the individual groups on octadecyl bonded silica gels in pH controlled acetonitrile/water mixtures.     

Gel Chromatographic Behavior of Labile Metal Complexes Trimeta- And Tetrametaphosphate Complexes with Bivalent Metal Cations

Abstract

The gel chromatographic behavior of metal ions in a labile complex formation system was expressed as a function of the ligand concentration in an eluent and the stability constants of the complexes. Trimeta- and tetrametaphosphate complexes with bivalent metal ions were used as examples. The retention volumes of the metal complexes were found to be always greater than those of the corresponding free ligands.     

GC/MS Identification of Organic Pollutants in the Caroni River,Trinidad

Abstract

Water samples from the Caroni River, Trinidad and other rivers which flow into the Caroni River were qualitatively analyzed for trace organic contaminants by procedures based on XAD extraction followed by GC/MS analysis. Pesticides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, phenols and phthalate esters were the main groups of compounds found. Many of the contaminants present in these water samples are known industrial pollutants, and several have been found in waste waters examined by other workers, which suggests that the factories of an industrial complex located upstream of the Caroni/Arena Water Treatment Plant may be the major source of the pollutants. Some compounds identified in the water samples have not been previously reported.