Capillary Supercritical Fluid Chromatography and Supercritical Fluid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) and its combination with mass spectrometry (SFC-MS) constitute important new techniques for analysis of materials not amenable to GC and GC-MS. Applications include the analysis of thermally labile and high molecular weight materials. Recent developments summarized here include: the development of narrow bore (25-50 µm) fused silica capillary columns with bonded, crosslinked and deactivated stationary phases for high resolution separations; methods using rapid pressure programming for high speed capillary SFC separations; and the capability for interfacing capillary SFC with both chemical ionization and electron impact mass spectrometry. Capillary SFC with both flame ionization and mass spectrometric detectors provide detection limits in the picogram range and significantly improved separations compared to HPLC. This review describes the physicochemical basis of SFC and SFC-MS and recent applications in the analysis of fuels, high molecular weight mixtures, and labile mycotoxin and pesticide materials.