Development of New Strategy for Analysis of Chromatographic Behavior on the Basis of Moment Theory

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has already been essential as a powerful tool for fine separations. However, still now, some apparatuses, e.g., high pressure pumps and high performance columns, have rapidly been developed in order to establish fast chromatography techniques with high efficiency. On the other hand, the further progress of chromatographic technologies needs the pursuit of fundamental studies on the separation mechanism. Chromatographic behavior, such as the sample retention, band broadening, elution peak profile, column efficiency, separation performance, and so on, depends on both the retention equilibrium and mass transfer kinetics in the column. A great number of research works have been carried out so far on the retention equilibrium in chromatography. However, chromatographic behavior has not so abundantly been investigated from kinetic points of view because of some essential difficulties concerning the kinetic study. Additionally, in contrast with the extensive applications of various HPLC instruments and separation media developed in recent decades, it seems that arrangements of theoretical bases and experimental strategies relating to the kinetic study are not well recognized by most chromatographers. Now, it is required to develop a new strategy for the analysis of chromatographic behavior beyond the ordinary “plate theory” and “rate theory” of chromatography [1−3]. The author has developed an analytical system based on the “moment theory” [3−5], which contributes to the kinetic study on chromatographic behavior, and applied the new approach to the experimental study on separation mechanism. Some fundamentals of Focusing Review