ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Limited sample recovery in coupled methods of high-performance liquid chromatography of synthetic polymers

D. Berek and A. Russ

Laboratory of Liquid Chromatography, Polymer Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, SK-842 36 Bratislava, Slovakia

E-mail: dusan.berek@savba.sk

Received: 5 October 2005  Revised: 10 January 2006  Accepted: 20 January 2006

Abstract: Complex polymer systems, which exhibit multiple distributions in their molecular parameters can be characterized by coupled liquid chromatographic methods. The latter combine entropic (exclusion) and enthalpic (interaction) retention mechanisms. However, recent experimental results suggest that some coupled liquid chromatographic methods may suffer from incomplete sample recovery. This refers, for example, to liquid chromatography under critical conditions of enthalpic interactions and to eluent gradient liquid chromatography. Sample recovery in both latter methods was investigated for selected model systems applying adsorption retention mechanism. Reduced sample recovery was confirmed for both methods. It was revealed that even very high final strength of mobile phase may be insufficient for complete elution of polymer samples in eluent gradient polymer liquid chromatography.

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-006-0044-6

Chemical Papers 60 (3) 249–252 (2006)