Prediction of retention times, column efficiency, and resolution in isothermal and temperature-programmed gas chromatography: Application for separation of four psoralens

A chemometric methodology is proposed to study the retention time, height equivalent to a theoretical plate, and separation of four psoralens in both isothermal and temperature-programmed gas chromatography. In temperature-programmed conditions, 18 experiments are found to be necessary, instead of nine in isothermal conditions. The differences between the predicted and the experimental results are less than 9%. Satisfactory separation of four psoralens in temperature-programmed conditions is carried out with an analysis time of 7 min.