Preparation and use of packed capillary columns in chromatographic and related techniques

In this paper general considerations related to the various approaches and parameters influencing the preparation of highly efficient and stable capillary columns for use in liquid chromatography and related techniques are presented and the column production process is discussed in some detail. The different packing methods available for delivering a packing material into a capillary column are discussed from a practical viewpoint. Packing with a gas (dry packing), packing with a liquid solvent or a mixture of solvents (slurry packing), packing with supercritical carbon dioxide, electrokinetic packing, and sol-gel packing technologies are introduced and discussed throughout the paper. Practical recommendations for obtaining highly efficient (high plate numbers) and stable capillary packed columns are also addressed and discussed.