Comprehensive liquid chromatography: fundamental aspects and practical considerations--a review

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Separation Science

Background:

• Complex mixtures require advanced separation techniques for accurate analysis.
• Traditional chromatography methods often face limitations in resolving power for intricate samples.
• Multidimensional (MD) LC approaches offer enhanced separation capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the theoretical underpinnings of comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) liquid chromatography (LC x LC).
• To discuss practical aspects and considerations for developing LC x LC methods.
• To provide an overview of various LC x LC interface designs, evaluating their advantages and disadvantages.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical analysis of peak capacity in LC x LC systems.
• Discussion of orthogonality in separation mechanisms.
• Review of different interface designs for LC x LC systems.

Main Results:

• LC x LC provides a significant increase in resolving power by subjecting the entire sample to two distinct separation dimensions.
• The peak capacity of LC x LC approaches the product of individual dimension peak capacities when orthogonal mechanisms are employed.
• Different interface designs offer varying pros and cons for practical LC x LC implementation.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) liquid chromatography (LC x LC) is a powerful analytical tool for complex mixture analysis.
• The technique's ability to maximize peak capacity through orthogonal separations is a key advantage.
• Method development and interface selection are critical for successful LC x LC applications.