APPLICATION OF HYDROPHOBIC INTERACTION CHROMATOGRAPHY (HIC) IN WATER ANALYSIS

Dissolved high molecular weight organic substances, like humic substances, can be characterized with regard to their molecular weight distribution using gel filtration chromatography (GFC). In addition, the adsorption properties, for example on activated carbon, can be described, if the substances are separated by hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) in different fractions using a chromatographic column with a hydrophobic matrix. The retention time (Rt) of single chemical substances in this column can be used to characterize the hydrophobicity or hydrophility of each compound as well as of the high molecular weight organic matter. The hydrophobic interaction between the matrix of the column and the dissolved chemical compounds also depends on the hydrophobicity of the gel and the composition of the eluent. Relations between retention times, log P-coefficients (octanol/water partition) and K-values of isotherms on activated carbon (Freundlich equation) were found.