SEPARATION OF ACID, BASIC AND DISPERSED DYES BY A SINGLE-GRADIENT ELUTION REVERSED-PHASE HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY SYSTEM

A gradient elution high-performance liquid chromatography system with an end-capped narrow-bore reversed-phase column and photodiode-array d etection has been developed for the separation and characterisation of acid, basic and dispersed dyes. The system exhibits good reproducibil ity, efficiency and sensitivity. Using a range of commercial dyes, a d atabase of relative retention times and spectral data has been produce d. The HPLC method has been applied to the analysis of dyes extracted from single fibres.