Column Chromatography
Technique:
Column chromatography is a way of separating things based on a certain characteristic.
The matrix of the column effect the criteria for with the mixture is separated and the
separations seep through the column and are collected at the bottom. The purpose of the
technique is to separate certain components based on many different matrices available
(Alberts, Johnson, Lewis, Raff, Roberts, and Walter, 2002).
Figure 1.
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History:
Chromatography was first utilized by Mikhail Tsvett, a Russian botanist. He wanted to
separate plant pigments, and used calcium carbonate powder as his matrix. The resulting
colored bands, he called a chromatogram. The technique was ignored for many years, but
rediscovered by Richard Willstatter, a German organic chemist. He was also studying
chlorophyll. The technique is now considered very versatile for organic chemists
(“Chromatography,” 2012).
Experiments that Utilize Column Chromatography:
1. Zhang, K., Wang, X., Huang, J., Liu, Y. (2012). Purification of L-alpha
glycerylphosphorylcholine by column chromatography. Journal of
Chromatography A, 1220, 108-114.
-This study used column chromatography to separate colorless L-alpha
glycerylphosphorylcholine. They obtained 99.8% purity. It was a novel preparation and
the conclusion was that it was in agreement with the standard. The study provided a costeffective, environmentally friendly and simple preparation for L-alpha
glycerylphosphorylcholine.
2. Zhang, Y., Jiao, J., Liu, C., Wu, X., Zhang, Y. (2008). Isolation and purification of
four flavone C-glycosides from antioxidant of bamboo leaves by macroporous
resin column chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid
chromatography. Food Chemistry, 107, 1326-1336.
-The study used column chromatography to prepare four flavone C-glycosides from
bamboo leaves. The study concluded that this was a good method for preparing and
quantifying these glycosides from bamboo leaves.
3. Zeng, F., Liu, W., Jiang, H., Yu, H., Zeng, R.J., Guo, Q. (2011). Separation of
phthalate esters from bio-oil derived from rice husk by a basification-acidification
process and column chromatography. Bioresource Technology, 102, 1982-1987.
-The study used column chromatography to separate phthalate esters from rice husks.
They found that more than 80% were in only two of the fractions and also that the
formation of the esters was a result of a radical reaction with substituted benzene and
other molecules.
References:
Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., Walter, P. (2002).
Manipulating Proteins, DNA, and RNA. In S. Gibbs (Ed.), Molecular Biology of
the Cell (481-82). New York: Garland Science.
Zeng, F., Liu, W., Jiang, H., Yu, H., Zeng, R.J., Guo, Q. (2011). Separation of phthalate
esters from bio-oil derived from rice husk by a basification-acidification process
and column chromatography. Bioresource Technology, 102, 1982-1987.
Zhang, K., Wang, X., Huang, J., Liu, Y. (2012). Purification of L-alpha
glycerylphosphorylcholine by column chromatography. Journal of
Chromatography A, 1220, 108-114.
Zhang, Y., Jiao, J., Liu, C., Wu, X., Zhang, Y. (2008). Isolation and purification of four
flavone C-glycosides from antioxidant of bamboo leaves by macroporous resin
column chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid
chromatography. Food Chemistry, 107, 1326-1336.