Estimation of adsorption isotherm parameters with inverse method--possible problems

In recent years the inverse method (IM) has been frequently applied to estimate of isotherm parameters. The IM has been used for adsorption process modeling for one, two and even three component chromatography. This method requires only a few injections with various sample concentrations, so the solute consumption and time requirements are very modest. The successful estimation of isotherm parameters with IM depends on applied chromatography column model and a numerical method used to solve the model. For HPLC column the classical equilibrium-dispersive (ED) model can be used. This model is solved frequently with very fast Rouchon finite difference method. However, the accuracy of computations with Rouchon method is decreasing with increase of the number of analyzed components. The aim of this work is the comparison of the results obtained with inverse method when ED model was solved with Rouchon or orthogonal collocation on finite element (OCFE) scheme. Assuming that solution of ED model with OCFE method can be regarded as real a solution, it was found that the Rouchon scheme may not give satisfactory results even for column with 10,000 theoretical plates for three component chromatography. Moreover, the optimal conditions for separation, calculated with Rouchon method, can be remarkably different from that obtained with the OCFE method. The next aim of this work is the presentation of Craig method application to estimation of model parameters with IM.