Distribution Coefficient
If a solute is introduced into any two phase system which may be gas/solid, gas/liquid, liquid/liquid or liquid/solid, it will become distributed between the two phases and, when equilibrium is reached, the solute distribution will be defined by the distribution coefficient. The distribution coefficient of a solute between two phases is calculated as the ratio of the concentration of the solute in one phase to the concentration of the solute in the other phase under equilibrium conditions. Either phase may be used as the reference phase, but in chromatography, the distribution coefficient is always referred to the stationary phase (i.e. the ratio of the concentration of the solute in the stationary phase to that in the mobile phase). The concentration may be taken as mass per unit volume in both phases (which is the most usual) or the mass per unit mass in both phases which is sometime employed in gas solid chromatography. The distribution coefficient is temperature dependant.
Author: RPW Scott
Book:The Mechanism of Chromatographic Retention
Section:Retention Mixed-Phases
distribution coefficient of n-pentanol between carbon
tetrachloride, toluene, n-heptane, n-chloroheptane and pure water
together with mixtures of n-heptane and n-chloroheptane and pure
water. These systems were chosen because the solvents were immiscible and
virtually mutually insoluble in each other and thus interactions in one phase
were not influence significantly by the presence of the other. The results they
obtained are shown in Figure 11. The linear relationship between the
distribution coefficient and the volume fraction of the respective solvent is
clearly established. The distribution coefficient of n-pentanol between
water and pure carbon tetrachloride was found to be about 2.2 and similar
distribution coefficient for n-pentanol was predicted by calculation to
be obtainable from a mixture containing 82%v/v chloroheptane and 18%v/v of n-heptane.
The experiment for toluene was repeated using a mixture of 82 %v/v
chloroheptane and 18% n-heptane mixture in place of carbon
Retention Mixed-Phases
Author: RPW Scott
Book:Plate Theory and Extensions
Section:Plate-Theory Column-Dead-Volume
taken into account and equation (35) shows that equation
(36) is grossly over simplified. From equation (35), a more accurate expression
for solute retention would be
Vr = VI(m) + KVI(s) + K1Vp(1) +
K2Vp(2) + K3VS(A) (37)
where, (K)
is the distribution coefficient of the solute between the moving phase and the static portion of the
interstitial volume,
(K1)
is the distribution coefficient of the solute between the moving phase and the
static pore contents, (Vp(1)),
(K2)
is the distribution coefficient of the solute between the moving phase and the
static pore contents, (Vp(2)),
and (K3)
is the distribution coefficient of the solute between the moving phase and the available
stationary phase (VS(A
Plate-Theory Column-Dead-Volume
Author: RPW Scott
Book:The Thermodynamics of Chromatography
Section:Thermodynamics Other-Methods
nbsp; (28)
where (KAB)
is the distribution coefficient of a solute between a mixture of solvents (A) and
(B) and a stationary phase,
(KA)
is the distribution coefficient of a solute between the pure solvent (A) and a stationary
phase,
(KB)
is the distribution coefficient of a solute between the pure solvent (B) and a
stationary phase,
and (b)
is the volume fraction of solvent (A) in the mixture.
The
distribution coefficients are referenced to the solvent mixture and not the
stationary phase and are thus are the inverse of the
distribution coefficients employed in the chromatography elution equation.
 
Now the
separation ratio (a(1)(2)) of a pair of
solutes, both of
Thermodynamics Other-Methods
Author: RPW Scott
Book:Liquid Chromatography
Section:HPLC HPLC-Mobile-Phases Molecular-Interactions
phase consisting of a binary mixture of solvents, as the retention
volume will be inversely proportion to the elutive capacity of the mobile phase
it will be also inversely proportional to the volume fraction of either
component providing there is no strong association between the components. This
was experimentally demonstrated by Katz et al. (35) who employed a
liquid/liquid distribution system using water and a series of immiscible
solvent mixtures as the two phases and measured the absolute distribution
coefficient of a solute for different mixtures. The solute they used was n-pentanol
and the immiscible solvent consisted of mixtures of n-heptane and
chloroheptane, n-heptane and toluene and n-heptane and heptyl acetate. The two
phase system was thermostatted at 25oC and, after equilibrium had
been established, the concentration of solute in the two phases was determined
by GC analysis. The results they obtained are shown in figure 46. It is seen
that linear relationships between
HPLC HPLC-Mobile-Phases Molecular-Interactions
Author: RPW Scott
Book:The Thermodynamics of Chromatography
Section:Thermodynamics Basics
The retention
of a solute in a chromatographic system is determined firstly, by the magnitude
of the distribution coefficient of the solute between the two phases and
secondly, by the amount of stationary phase available to the solute for
interaction. This is fully discussed in Plate Theory
and Extensions of this series. In addition, the
mechanism of distribution has been considered exclusively on the basis
of molecular interactions in The Mechanism of Chromatographic Retention
. However, the distribution coefficient in
chromatography is an equilibrium constant and, consequently, it can be treated
rationally by conventional thermodynamics.
It follows, that
the distribution coefficient can be expressed in terms of the standard
energy of solute exchange between the phases employing the traditional and
well established Arrhenious relationship,
 
Thermodynamics Basics
Author: RPW Scott
Book:Principles and Practice of Chromatography
Section:Principles Distribution-Coefficient
distribution but does not
indicate how the distribution can be managed or controlled. To do this, it is
necessary to identify how the magnitude of (K) and (Vs) are
controlled. In general, (K) is usually determined by the nature and strength of
the intermolecular forces between the solute and the two phases. The
availability of the stationary phase (the magnitude of (Vs)) is
largely determined by the geometry of the stationary phase.
Factors Affecting the Magnitude of the Distribution Coefficient (K)
The magnitude of (K) is
determined by the relative affinity of the solute for the two
phases. Those solutes interacting more strongly with the stationary
phase will exhibit a larger distribution coefficient and will be
retained longer in the chromatographic system. Molecular interaction
results from
intermolecular forces of which there are three basic
types
Principles Distribution-Coefficient