ABSTRACT
Solvation is the process of attraction and association of solvent molecules with molecules or ions of a solute. This term may also be applied for processes that take place on the interface between a liquid surface and a solid surface. In the case of liquid chromatography, during chromatographic elution, the stationary phase comes in the contact with the mobile-phase components. In such situation, molecules of the solvent are attracted by the surface. The main influence on the retention of sample components in liquid chromatography has the ability of the molecule for interaction with the stationary phase. In isocratic chromatography, the stationary phase is in equilibrium with the mobile-phase components. As a result of the preferential solvation of the stationary-phase surface, it is very likely that the gradient of a given solvent concentration from the adsorbent surface into a bulk mobile phase is formed.
