Preparation and evaluation of monolithic columns for high-performance liquid chromatography and their application in the analysis of enviromental pollutans

In recent years, the monolithic columns as separation media for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) have undergone a rapid development in the field of sample analysis because of their excellent performance, such as cost-effective, fast mass transport, excellent permeability and versatile surface modification compared to conventional columns packed with particles [1]. In this research, a porous monolithic silica column possessing both micrometer sized through-pores and nanometer sized mesopores located in the silica skeletons was prepared by the sol gel method [2]. The mechanism for the preparation of the monolithic column was investigated in detail. The effect of the polyethylene glycol concentration and percent solvent to TMOS as silica source in the starting solution were studied and their were optimized for forming the interconnected porous structure [3,4]. The silica rods prepared with through-pore size 2 µm, mesopore size 16 nm and surface area of about 248 m2/g. Then prepared monolithic silica modified with N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and polyaniline, finaly the silica rod was claded with heat-shrinkable Polyethylene. Fabricate monolithic column was used for separation of benzene and phenol with low back-pressure.