Additional studies on shape selectivity by using the carotenoid test to classify C18 bonded silica

Numerous chromatographic tests are applied to study the C18 bonded phases, either to classify these phases, or to better determine their properties or their chromatographic behaviours. Because the carotenoid test is developed in supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), many correlations with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) results have been necessary to ensure the trueness of the classification reached in these analytical conditions. Consequently, the analytical conditions of the carotenoid test were chosen to fit with the TbN/BaP values from the NIST 869a test, which describe the shape selectivity of the alkyl bonded phases. Additional studies performed in this paper by using well standardized silica (J'Sphere, YMC Pack ODS A, Wakosil II), which varied from their surface coverage (J'Sphere), their pore shape (YMC), or their bonding type and carbon content (Wakosil II). The use of these C18 stationary phases allows to reach more accurate conclusion on the comparison of the shape selectivity values provided either by the cis/trans β-carotene selectivity or by the TRI/oTER or TbN/BaP ones. The extension of the studies to many other C18 stationary phases allows clarifying the relationships between the carotenoid test and the tests based on the use of PAH, as well as the usage limit of TRI/oTER and TBN/BaP selectivity in regards of the bonding density of the stationary phases for both monomeric and polymeric phases. By checking other aromatic compounds, another selectivity (anthracene/oTER) display greater correlation with the carotenoid test, that suggest an improvement of the relevance of this new compound couple for the steric selectivity study.