Characterization of micellar mobile phases for reversed-phase chromatography

Cationic, anionic, and nonionic surfactants are characterized for their usefulness as micellar mobile phases in reversed-phase chromatography. Conditions found previously to provide optimum chromatographic efficiency for sodium dodecyl sulfate also provide high efficiency for the cationic and nonionic surfactants studied. The use of 3% n-propanol in the micellar mobile phase and column temperatures of 40°C appear to offer a broadly applicable solution to the low efficiency previously reported for micellar mobile phases. A chromatographic method for the determination of critical micelle concentrations is reported; it compares favorably with literature methods. Micellar mobile phases are shown to mimic ion-pairing mobile phases, allowing the separation of neutral solutes as well as solutes charged oppositely to the surfactant and offer a more rugged method of analysis than hydro-organic ion-pairing methods.