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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

molecular-level interactions, liquid chromatography, pharmaceutical research

College

Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Abstract

Introduction In many fields of work, such as medicine or pharmaceutical research, it is necessary to separate chemically similar compounds. Liquid chromatography, which involves a mixture of compounds (analyte) dissolved in a mobile phase flowing through a packed column (stationary phase), is the most widely used chemical separation technique. Changes in operational parameters such as the mobile or stationary phase composition, temperature, pressure, pH, etc. affect retention time Operational parameters are currently chosen by trial-and-error because we understand very little about the molecular interactions between the analyte and the mobile phase/stationary phase interface. Specifically, it is unclear how enthalpy and entropy affect retention. If we understood more about the molecular interactions between the analyte and the mobile/stationary phases and how those interactions affect the associated thermodynamic properties, we could better predict optimal separation conditions for medical and scientific purposes. My efforts towards this goal, with help from Dr. Patterson and those in his lab, provided the basis for my Honors Thesis (submitted in July 2014) and Andy Peterson’s Master’s Thesis (submitted in December 2013).1-2

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