SEPARATION OF HYDROPHOBIC COMPOUNDS BY ELECTROKINETIC CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH TETRAALKYLAMMONIUM IONS

Tetraalkylammonium ions were evaluated as potential pseudo-stationary phases for the separation of highly hydrophobic compounds with electro kinetic chromatography (EKC) in aqueous-organic media. The direction o f the electroosmotic flow and, as a consequence, the migration behavio ur of the hydrophobic compounds, is shown to be strongly dependent on the tetraalkylammonium concentration and the organic modifier content of the applied electrolyte system. The potential of tetraalkylammonium pseudo-stationary phases in EKC is illustrated by the separation of s everal geometric isomers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.