Superheated water as an eluent for reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Superheated/subcritical water can be used as an eluent in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography as an alternative to methanol-water or acetonitrile-water mixtures. Mixtures of phenols, parabens, barbiturates and other analytes have been separated on polystyrene-divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) and ODS-bonded silica columns at temperatures up to 210 degrees C and moderate pressures, with no degradation of the samples. The solvent presents virtually no disposal costs or purchase costs and is an environmentally friendly and cheap eluent. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.