CHROMATOGRAPHY
CHROMATOGRAPHY It is a method used for the separation, purification, and identification of a mixture of substances. It is useful when components of a mixture have similar physical and chemical properties and hence cannot be separated by other methods. Principle: It is based on the distribution of the components in a mixture between a stationary and a mobile phase. The stationary phase may be a column of adsorbent, a paper, a thin layer of adsorbent through which the mobile phase moves on. The mobile phase may be a liquid or gas. The principle of chromatographic separation is always adsorption (absorption of a constituent on the surface of the solid stationary phase) or partition (distribution of a constituent in between two liquid stationary phases). THEORY OF CHROMATOGRAPHY The separation takes place due to the differential migration of components which depends on the relative affinity towards the stationary and mobile phases. The component which is less strongly held by th...