Perspective Chapter: Multi-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography - Principles and Applications

Abstract

Many complex mixtures usually constitute hundreds or even thousands of individual components of interest. Such mixtures are much too complicated to be separated for analytical duties in a reasonable period of time using only a single-dimensional chromatographic method. However, if a complex mixture is separated by an initial dimension using multi-dimensional liquid chromatography, a simpler portion of that separation is collected and goes to the second dimension. Each of these fractions will be analyzed separately, allowing exceedingly complex mixtures to be resolved in a short period of time. This chapter explains the fundamental principles, theoretical discussions as well as various applications with typical examples of multi-dimensional liquid chromatography in different fields.