Today, I would like to describe my favorite chromatographic books: from one I bought even before I (really) knew what chromatography is to one which has chapter with my name on it.

Úvod do vysokoúčinné kapalinové kolonové chromatografie

My very first HPLC book

I am sorry to all of you who does not understand Czech language. This is my very first chromatographic book and I bought it even before I knew the term “chromatography” itself. The book was written by prof. Jandera and prof. Churacek and the name of the book in English means “Introduction to high performance liquid column chromatography“. The book was published in 1984.

It was on the end of my first year at university. I walked aimlessly through the library shop and in the corner I found shelf full of these books. They were already a little bit damaged and each one of them costs less than a big beer (which is actually the cheapest drink you can get in almost any restaurant in Czech Republic). I had no idea what chromatography means, who are the authors and what is going to be my main direction during years at university. So I bought it.

In couple of months I met chromatography again – during our analytical chemistry II lessons. In that time, I started slowly eplore the beauty of (liquid) chromatography separations and moved my attention from analysis of biological materials (which was my main direction) towards analytical chemistry itself and particularly liquid chromatography.

Later on, I was lucky enough to be part of the class when founder of chromatography techniques in Czech Republic – Prof. Churacek – gave  lessons during his last year before retirement. So there is no surprise, that I asked Prof. Jandera if there is a space for me in his group – there was and since then I am part of his group at University of Pardubice, Czech Republic.

And the book I am talking about now was always with me, whenever I was working with chromatography abroad.

Actually, I have it on my desk even now.

HPLC Columns: Theory, Technology, and Practice

HPLC Columns

My second HPLC book in the list is HPLC Columns: Theory, Technology, and Practice written by Uwe Neue. This book describes thoroughly a theory of chromatography, columns packing, characterization, chemistry, selection, and maintenance. Large part of the book is devoted to individual modes of liquid chromatography, such as normal and reversed-phase, size-exclusion, hydrophilic interaction, and ion-exchange chromatography.

I still remember reading the parts about methacrylate-based packing, few paragraphs about monolithic stationary phases (page 72;) and trying to dip more and more in a liquid chromatography techniques and separations. Sweet first year of my PhD.

What I especially like on Uwe Neue’s book is its easy to read style and the way how he explains the problem. Reading the book I have feeling that I am on his lecture or (even better) listening to him.

Monolithic Materials: Preparation, Properties, and Applications

Bible of monoliths. Ok, let’s at least call it a fundamental book in area monolithic stationary phases edited by Frantisek Svec, Tatiana Tennikova and Zdenek Deyl. It took me while before I was able to look inside this very first book describing preparation, characterization and application of continuous porous stationary phases. Finally, I was able to borrow it from library of Eindhoven’s Technical University during my stay there. I immediately made a copy of first chapters focusing on organic polymer monoliths and read them the same evening.

There are two big advantages of this book: First, it was first. I don’t think I have to write more about it. Secondly, it describes the monolithic stationary phase from A to B. There is a description of all main types of monoliths, their preparation techniques, properties, and characterization: organic polymer-based monoliths, silica-based monoliths, ring-opening metathesis polymerization, water-soluble monomers-based monoliths,  polysaccharide materials, and high internal phase  emulsion materials, just to name a few.

Moreover, application description spans from separation of small molecules, through peptides and proteins to DNA and large polymer standards.

If you are new in a field of monolithic stationary phases, this book gives you nice overview of possible materials and their application in the separation you need.

Introduction to Modern Liquid Chromatography

Introduction to modern liquid chromatography

3rd edition of this introduction with almost 900 hundred pages covers probably all possible questions about theory of liquid chromatography and its application. Authors Lloyd R. Snyder, Joseph J. Kirkland and John W. Dolan focus on theory, instrumentation (detection, column, troubleshooting), method development and validation, and sample preparation. Of course, there is a deep description of individual modes of liquid chromatography, as in the case of Uwe Neue’s book: normal phase, reversed-phase, ion-exchange, size-exclusion, chiral separations, and preparative chromatography.

Individual chapters are divided according the type of sample and/or technique used. So, for example, you can find information about hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) as a part of chapter Normal phase chromatography as well as Separation of peptides and proteins.

Monolithic Chromatography and its Modern Applications

Monolithic chromatography

Reading all these books I always thought Maybe once I can have a chapter in such a book. And it happened. Roughly three years ago editor Perry Wang contacted Pavel Jandera with question about his contribution to book about monolithic stationary phases and its modern applications. We extended our review about polymethacrylate monoliths dedicated to Frantisek Svec on the occasion of his birthday and prepared chapter for forthcoming book.

In comparison to the first book I mentioned couple of paragraphs ago, this one does not cover such a broad range of different monolithic materials. It describes organic polymers, as well as silica-based monoliths, further ring-opening metathesis polymerization and monolithic cryogel beds.

The description of analysis of pharmaceutical-, ionic-, and phytochemicals, amino acids, and DNA and viruses separations is in an application part of the book.

I am especially looking forward to reading chapter about hyphenation of monolithic columns with chemiluminescence detection, because it reminds me time I spent in Paris working with supercritical fluid chromatography and chemiluminescence detection in analysis of crude oil residuals.

The book is now available for pre-order on amazon, it should be published very soon published.

What are your favorite books about chromatography?

In liquid chromatography liquid mobile phase flows through the column with stationary phase. The main principle of separation remains the same.

Compounds have different affinity to the stationary phase and are separated while flowing through the column. The compounds separated with liquid chromatography are disolved in the mobile phase. They have lower difussion coefficients than gaseous compound separeted with gas chromatography.

Except thin layer chromatography, majority of liquid chromatography is performed in high-pressure arrangement. The liquid is pushed through the column using high pressure pumps. In this case we are speaking about high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC).

According the polarity of the mobile and/or stationary phase, the liquid chromatography separations can be divided in numerous methods for different kind of samples.

The gas chromatography is special type of chromatography, where the mobile phase is gas, such as helium or nitrogen. The stationary phase is usually solid support covered with liquid layer.

After the sample injection the mobile phase carries the sample compounds through the column. Usually, the temperature gradient is applied and compounds are then separated according theirs boiling points.

Gas chromatography instrumentation

The figure shows typical scheme of gas chromatograph. The gas (mobile phase) flows through the column placed in the oven with controlled temperature. After the separation is finished the individual compounds elute from the column and specific detector registers signal.

Applications

Gas chromatography is very useful for the analysis of small volatile compounds with boiling points lower than 300 °C. Gas chromatography is applied in chemistry industry (especially petrochemistry) to control the quality chemical products. GC can be also used for analysis of toxic compounds, environmental analysis and so on.

Chromatography is analytical chemistry method which is used (and useful) for the separation of complex mixtures of chemical compounds. The main mechanism of the separation is repeatable distribution of the tested compound in between two different phases.

Usually, one phase is solid, fixed in the separation device and the other is moving and flows through the unit. If gas is a second phase, we are referring to the gas chromatography, in case of liquid as a second phase the name is liquid chromatography.

The device where separation takes place is called chromatographic column. This cylindrical shape column is filled with the different kinds of materials – stationary phases. These materials are usually spherical silica particles with different, but well defined, surface chemistry.

The mobile phase flows through the column together with sample (mixture of compounds). Each compound has various affinity to the surface of stationary phase and therefore is separated form each other. In case of ideal state all compounds are eluted from the column in separated bands.

Various techniques are used to recognize these bands and transform them into the signal. In most of the cases the signal draws chromatographic peak – the “hill like” curve describing Gauss distribution.