A review of current activities of analytical separation in Korea in 2004

Cell separation was first achieved in 1964 by S. H. Seal, who separated large tumor cells from the smaller blood cells using filtration. Two years later, Pohl and Hawk performed experiments on how cells respond differently to a nonuniform electric field based on the cell type. Such observations were the inception of cell separation methods, which allow isolating a single cell type from a heterogeneous sample.

The chromatography technique was first invented in 1901 by Michael S. Tswett, a Russian botanist, to separate plant pigments using organic solvents. Further, in 1941, Archer John Porter Martin and R. L. M. Synge modified the technique by packing silica gel into a column. A mixture of amino acids was then separated on the packed column using chloroform and water mixture as the mobile phase. This was the first report on column chromatography. At present, column chromatography is a widely used...

Sample preparation is an essential step in the analytical process. It involves preparing a sample so that it can be analyzed accurately. The goal is to extract the analyte, the substance you want to measure, from the sample while removing any components that may interfere with the analysis. Sample preparation techniques vary depending on the physical state of the sample.
Bulk or large solid samples are typically reduced in size using grinding, crushing, or milling techniques to increase the...

In certain chromatographic separations, solutes transfer between the mobile phase and the stationary phase via sorption, which typically refers to the process of adsorption. For many chromatographic systems, the sorption process often depends on the polarity of the compounds—an expression of the overall dipole moment within the molecule. During the separation process, there is competition between the solute and solvent for adsorption to the stationary phase. Highly polar compounds and solvents...

Optimizing chromatographic separations is crucial for obtaining clean separations in a minimum amount of time. Optimization is required for several factors, including kinetic effects related to band broadening, plate height, capacity factor, and separation factor.
Band broadening refers to spreading solute bands as they travel through the column. This broadening can impact resolution. Plate height (H) represents the length required for one theoretical plate. A lower plate height corresponds to...

Capillary electrophoretic separations offer various modes, each with unique applications. These modes include capillary zone electrophoresis, capillary gel electrophoresis, capillary array electrophoresis, capillary isoelectric focusing, capillary isotachophoresis, micellar electrokinetic chromatography, and capillary electrochromatography.
Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) separates ionic components based on their electrophoretic mobility. It has been used to separate proteins, amino acids,...