%0 Journal Article
%T Monolithic Columns
%A Zahid Zaheer
%A Mazahar Farooqui
%J Pharmaceutical Reviews
%D 2008
%I 
%X Investigations into new separation media continue to be a major aspect in separation sciences. This is due to the variety of new challenges in separating very complex sample mixtures. Emerging technology is enabling very high separation efficiency and speed of analysis, surpassing the conventional particle-packed columns in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These included capillary electrochromatography,1 ultrahigh pressure HPLC (UHPLC),2, 3 and the use of monolithic silica columns.4 Monolithic columns attracted attention because of their potential high performance under common operating conditions that rivals that of packed columns without high pressure requirements. Conventional HPLC columns are packed with particles of micrometer size. Packing a high-efficiency column requires skills as well as the appropriate packing material with suitable properties. Columns having one-piece network structures are thought to be desirable to avoid difficulties in packing columns, which can change as new surface modifications are introduced.5 Monolithic columns were reported first with organic polymers,6, 7 followed by silica columns prepared in capillaries.8 There have been numerous reports on polymer- and silica-based monolithic columns for HPLC. 9-11
%U http://www.pharmainfo.net/reviews/monolithic-columns