Macroscopic and microscopic analysis of mass transfer in reversed phase liquid chromatography

For the correct description of a chromatographic process, the determination of mass-transfer kinetics in the column is required because the influence of the mass-transfer kinetics on the shape of chromatographic band profiles is crucial. Several sources of mass transfer in a chromatographic bed have been identified and studied: the axial dispersion in the stream of mobile phase, the external mass-transfer resistance, intraparticle diffusion, and the kinetics of adsorption–desorption In this study we compare mass-transfer coefficients obtained in a reversed phase chromatographic column using macroscopic and microscopic approaches. The general rate model, the plate height equation, moment analysis, and stochastic analysis were used to assess chromatographic process during the separation of alkylbenzenes.