Separation study of PAHs by HPLC using a micellar SDS mobile phase and short chain columns

The possibility of using micellar sodium dodecyl sulfate mobile phase modified with n-propanol to separate six PAHs on apolar columns was examined. The large capacity factors found in large-chain stationary phases made the analysis impractical. The use of short-chain stationary phases and the presence of n-propanol in the mobile phase, as a modifier, significantly decreased the capacity factors but also decreased resolution, allowing separation of five PAHs in reasonable analysis times. Conditioning of the column was easy and reproducible but the effect of temperature was quite critical. The gradient technique decreased peak width significantly.