Influence of the column hold-up time measurement accuracy on the prediction of chromatographic band profiles

The influence of the column hold-up time measurement accuracy on the determination of equilibrium isotherms by classical frontal analysis and the prediction of overloaded elution band profiles were investigated. The ideal model of chromatography in combination with a Langmuir isotherm was used. Breakthrough curves and overloaded elution profiles were computer generated with a known hold-up time value (true hold-up time). Then these data were evaluated the same way as it is done with experimental chromatographic data where the true hold-up time is unknown, i.e. to determine the equilibrium isotherm by the frontal analysis procedure, to fit the isotherm data to the Langmuir model and then to predict chromatographic band profiles using, e.g. the ideal model of chromatography. A comparison of overloaded elution profiles obtained with different deviations of the hold-up time from its true value shows that the effect of its measurement error is significant in preparative liquid chromatography because the isotherm is usually strongly nonlinear in this case. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.