In order to design and to optimise preparative separations, the knowledge o
f the underlying thermodynamic functions, i.e., the adsorption isotherms, i
s the most essential information. Usually these functions cannot be predict
ed and various methods have been suggested to determine them experimentally
. In particular, dynamic methods are attractive regarding time requirements
and reliability. Frontal analysis (FA) is frequently applied to measure si
ngle solute isotherms. The theoretical background of this method is offered
by the classical equilibrium theory of adsorption. Although this theory al
so explains the shape of multicomponent breakthrough curves, FA is only sel
dom applied to determine competitive isotherms. In this work FA was used to
measure adsorption isotherms of three components as single solutes and in
binary and ternary mixtures in a reversed-phase system. The obtained equili
brium data were correlated using the competitive Langmuir isotherm, equatio
n, a bi-langmuir model, the ideal adsorbed solution theory and the real ads
orbed solution theory. No substantial improvement of the predictions was ac
hieved using the more complex models instead of the most simple Langmuir mo
del. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.