Retention indices in supercritical fluid chromatography on a polystyrene-divinylbenzene column

Summary The application of alkylarylketones and n-alkanes as retention index scale standards in supercritical fluid chromatography has been examined using a packed polystyrene-divinylbenzene column. The two scales gave comparable results but the alkylarylketone scale gave comparable results but the alkylarylketone scale was considered to have a wider application as it could also be used when modifiers were added to the mobile phase. The changes in the retention indices of a number of aromatic test compounds were used to compare the selectivity of the separation under different temperature and pressure conditions and in the presence of modifiers.