Characterization of stationary phases based on monosubstituted benzene retention indices using correspondence factor analysis and linear solvation energy relationships in RPLC

International audienceIn reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), the comparison of experimental results obtained from different columns is a complex problem. A correspondence factor analysis (CFA) and a linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) were applied on retention data to characterize second-order intermolecular interactions responsible for retention on a set of RPLC columns. Seven octadecyl-C 18 columns with different packing materials are obtained from different manufacturers and one octyl-C 8 column. The retention data were determined under isocratic conditions using a methanol-water (65:35, v/v) mobile phase. The chromatographic retention indices based on alkan-2-ones and alkyl aryl ketones retention index scales are calculated using a multiparametric least-squares regressions iterative method. The CFA and LSER results permitted to highlight that the retention indices were appropriate for studying the second-order retention mechanisms on the eight chromatographic systems investigated and exhibited the best reproducibility. Although many earlier studies have reported the use of chemo-metric methods to characterize chemical factors affecting retention in RPLC using retention factors as retention parameters, this is the first study based on retention indices