We are pleased to welcome you to this university-level course, developed to complement and enhance your study of Analytical Separation Science. This course is based on the academic curriculum taught within the UvA-VU joint degree Master’s programme in Chemistry, Analytical Sciences taught by Prof. Govert Somsen (VU), Dr. Bob Pirok (UvA) and Prof. Peter Schoenmakers (UvA). While this web-based course cannot replace the lectures and tutorials, it will hopefully allow you to more easily learn about separation science.
Separation Sciences #
Analytical separation science is a core discipline of analytical chemistry. This course comprises the fundamentals, theory and practice of modern liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, and capillary electrophoresis, including basic sample preparation and common instrumentation and detection principles. Parameters to describe and predict separation performance are introduced. Various additional aspects such as chromatographic and electrophoretic modes, gradient elution, detector noise filtering, two-dimensional gas chromatography, and polymer analysis are treated.
Whether you are a student, educator, or professional aiming to deepen your understanding of separation science, this course provides a structured pathway through the textbook. It offers guided reading, supplementary materials, and exercises designed to support a rigorous and comprehensive learning experience.
Learning Goals #
After this course, you will be able to
- Describe and explain the principles of the main separation and sample preparation techniques used in contemporary analytical science.
- Explain the theory, practice and application of modern liquid chromatography, gas chromatography and capillary electrophoresis.
- Determine and rationally apply performance parameters of separation methods.
How to use this course #
This course assumes active reading in the accompanying book Analytical Separation Science. Throughout the course, you will be guided to specific modules of the book, as illustrated in the example below.
READ SECTIONS 1.7.1-1.7.2
Effect of Diffusion Coefficient and Particle Size
Most of the images will feature interactive options that help you to explore what the graph is displaying, just how we would explain it in a lecture room in class.
Some concepts are exclusively explained through such images or the interactive exercises that we provide.
Lesson Overview #
FUNDAMENTALS
- Chromatography
- Equilibria & Migration
- Plate-Height Theory I
- Plate Height Theory II
LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY
- Liquid Chromatography
- NPLC, HILIC & RPLC
- Separation of Ions
- Gradient Elution
- LC Detection
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
- Open-Tubular Chromatography
- GC Injection & Detection
SAMPLE PREPARATION
- Sample Preparation
CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS
- Capillary Electrophoresis
- Current, Heat & Efficiency
- Injection, Detection & MEKC
OTHER
- Polymer Separations
- 2D Gas Chromatography
Advanced Separation Sciences #
A second course will be launched in October, entitled Advanced Separation Sciences. Tentatively, this course will feature lectures on the following topics.
- Multidimensional Separations
- 2D Liquid Chromatography
- Modulation in 2D-LC
- Method Development of 2D-LC
- Supercritical Fluid Chromatography I
- Supercritical Fluid Chromatography II
- Retention Modeling
- CE-MS
- Advanced Plate Height Theory
- Kinetic Plots
- Field-Flow Fractionation I
- Field-Flow Fractionation II
- Chiral Separations
- Chromatographic Response Functions
