Development of Monolithic Silica Columns for the Separation and Analysis of Various Compounds

In analytical chemistry, the adsorbent plays many roles, such as in the adsorption or concentration of a sample to be measured or in the removal of unnecessary substances that are not to be analyzed. A separation and purification method in which an adsorbent is filled in a tube, a gas or liquid serving as a carrier is sent into the tube, and the adsorption and desorption of analytes and other components are continuously repeated is called chromatography. In chromatography, dynamic mass transfer is carried out between a carrier gas or solvent, a sample component, and an adsorbent. Therefore, the shape and size of the adsorbent have a great influence on the analysis performance. The authors have focused on monolithic silica, which has a different shape from the spherical particles commonly used in chromatography, and have promoted its use in chromatography. In this article, we will introduce the structural characteristics of monolithic silica and the development status of monolithic silica for the separation and analysis of various compounds ranging from gas components to biopolymers.