What is the Difference Between HPLC and GC?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Gas Chromatography (GC) are both separation techniques used in various applications, but they have some key differences:
- Mobile phase: HPLC uses a liquid (solvent) as the mobile phase, while GC uses a gas as the mobile phase.
- Columns: HPLC columns are shorter and wider, while GC columns are longer and thinner.
- Temperature: GC requires a higher temperature (around 150°C) to ensure samples are volatile, which makes the analysis faster compared to HPLC.
- Detection methods: HPLC detection methods are non-destructive, typically using ultraviolet-visible (UV/Vis) spectroscopic detectors or refractive index detectors (RID). In contrast, GC detection methods are more destructive, such as flame ionization detectors (FID).
- Applications: HPLC is commonly used for inorganic ions, food substances, polymers, and pharmaceuticals. GC is typically used for measuring oils, organic compounds, air samples, toxins, and drugs.
- Cost: HPLC solvents are more expensive than the gases used in GC, and HPLC requires a pressure pump to push the mobile phase through the column. As a result, GC is generally considered more cost-effective.
In summary, the main differences between HPLC and GC lie in the mobile phase, column characteristics, temperature requirements, detection methods, applications, and cost. Both techniques are versatile and have a wide range of applications, but the choice between them depends on the specific requirements of the analysis.
Comparative Table: HPLC vs GC
Here is a table comparing the differences between High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Gas Chromatography (GC):
Property | HPLC | GC |
---|---|---|
Mobile Phase | Liquid (solvent) | Gas |
Sample Types | Soluble compounds (volatile or non-volatile) | Volatile compounds (gaseous at room temperature) |
Column Length | Short (usually less than 1 cm) | Long (typically 1-6 meters) |
Column Packing | Tightly packed material | Packed or capillary columns |
Instrument Complexity | More complex, requires pressure pumps | Less complex, does not require pressure pumps |
Operation Costs | Higher due to pressurized system | Lower maintenance costs |
Analysis Time | Generally between 10-60 minutes | Faster, often in minutes or seconds |
HPLC uses a liquid solvent as the mobile phase and is suitable for analyzing soluble compounds that can be either volatile or non-volatile, such as amino acids, drugs, and carbohydrates. GC, on the other hand, uses a gaseous mobile phase and is designed for analyzing volatile compounds that are usually gas at room temperature. The separation in HPLC is based on the polarity of molecules, while in GC, separation occurs based on the respective volatility of each compound in the sample.
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