ABSTRACT
Liquid chromatography (LC) is one of the most effective separation techniques to separate a mixture of compounds and has been widely used to identify, quantify or purify the individual components of the mixture for analytical or preparative purpose. During chromatographic separation, analytes are separated based on the difference in their interactions with the stationary phase, the ratio/ composition of the solvent used, and the flow rate of the mobile phase. Differential interaction of analytes with mobile and stationary phase results in the different retention behaviors for various compounds and leads to their selectivity (Table 5.1). Thus, the stationary phase plays an important role in achieving highly efficient separation. Both amorphous particles and microspheres can be used as stationary phase. Microspheres are the most widely used substances because of their many distinct advantages. According to the interaction between an analyte and the stationary phase, LC can be categorized into different types as listed in Table 5.1. Proper choice of LC and an eluting solvent are crucial for the successful separation of a target compound from a complex mixture (1).
