Columns | Column: History of Chromatography

Peter Myers on the past, present, and future of stationary phases

Keith Bartle talks about his proudest scientific achievements.

Keith Bartle, Emeritus Professor of Physical Chemistry and Visiting Professor in the Energy Centre of the University of Leeds, UK, has been a creative catalyst in a wide range of chromatographic collaborations stretching from the analysis of methane in air to printing inks. He spoke to Caroline West from the University of Orléans, in Orléans, France, about his career in chromatography and his proudest scientific achievements in separation science, including his research in supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), gas chromatography (GC), and “the unified chromatograph”.

As Klaus Unger turns 80, we review his contributions to the field.

Pavel Jandera discusses building his own LC instrument, the birth of modern HPLC, the importance of exploring (and understanding) earlier research papers, and current trends in contemporary chromatography. He also offers inspiring advice for young chromatographers.

Hamish Small discusses the secrets to his success in separation science and the value of vague thoughts in scientific progress.

Professor Wolfgang Lindner spoke to LCGC Editorial Advisory Board member Kevin A. Schug about his inspiring and influential career in chromatography.  

When Professor Georges Guiochon passed away last October, at the age of 83, the separation science community mourned the loss of one of the great pioneers of the field.

Professor Wolfgang Lindner spoke to Kevin A. Schug about his inspiring and influential career in chromatography.

A review of Professor Barry L. Karger's years as a teacher and mentor, as well as his many scientific accomplishments

An interview with Jack Kirkland on his pioneering career in HPLC

Professor Georges Guiochon spoke to Fabrice Gritti about his pioneering contributions to the field of separation science.

The innovative and inspiring career of Barry Karger is described, including his pioneering work in bioanalysis.

This column installment traces the early development of SEC from its inception to its acceptance as a modern analytical technique.

In the 1960s, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was in its infancy and Phyllis Brown was a pioneer at the forefront of the technique.

In both East and West, new ideas have often met resistance.

A pioneer in high performance liquid chromatography reflects on his career and how "enlightened trial-and-error" can reduce the effort involved in method development.

An interview with Harold McNair reveals his greatest accomplishments and proudest moments.

The development and application of chiral chromatography is described.

An interview with John Knox, who brought us the Knox equation, porous graphite carbon, and other critical advances in both liquid and gas chromatography.

This final installment of Klaus Unger's personal reflections and scientific activities covers from 1990 until his retirement in 2010.

Often, what you remember most about your career is the great people you met along the way.

Chiral chromatography is now the fastest way to access large amounts of enantiopure pharmaceutical compounds.

Industry veteran Thomas Beesley takes readers on a tour of his experiences in chromatography.

Well-known industry veteran and LCGC EAB member Peter Carr looks back at the early days of the chromatography field and reflects on his own experiences.

Industry veteran and 2009 LCGC Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Harold McNair writes about the early days of gas chromatography and his experiences through the years.

Peter Johnson gives readers the history of the well-known Minnesota Chromatography Forum.

The former "Milestones in Chromatography" editor returns to give readers the story of his time in the field.

Guest columnist Dick Henry traces the history of HPLC back more than 40 years, starting with his days at DuPont.

In this month's installment, Kurt Grob's life and achievements are described by someone who knew him like few other people did: his son, Koni Grob.

Walt Jennings briefly sketches a path, occasionally humorous, occasionally somber, from the time of his Ph.D. candidacy in 1953 to the present day.

After nearly 10 years of writing "Milestones in Chromatography," resident historian Leslie Ettre will step down from his position as an LCGC columnist.

Work done 60 years ago at the University of Innsbruck (Austria), representing the start of gas chromatography, is outlined in this month's column.

After a 25-year dormant period, chromatography was finally reborn in the first years of the 1930s.

Guest columnist Volker Schurig discusses the achievements of Emanuel Gil-Av in introducing enantioselectivity into chromatographic analysis.

Leslie Ettre is joined by Peter J.T. Morris as the duo discusses the work of James E. Lovelock, which eventually led to the invention of the electron-capture detector.

October 2006. This year, the Chromatography Society is celebrating its 50-year anniversary. On the occasion of this anniversary, E.R. Adlard, one of the true pioneers of GC and a leading member of the organization, reports on the most important papers presented at the symposia in the first decade.

This installment of "Milestones in Chromatography" discusses the events leading to the development of the amino acid analyzer near the end of the 1950s at the Rockefeller Institute of Medical Research by Moore, Stein, and Spackman.

This column deals with a few chemists active during the early growth of the petroleum industry who carried out chromatography-like investigations even before Tswett...

Columnist Leslie Ettre looks back at the life and contributions of Csaba Horvath, one of the giants in the field of chromatography.

The authors trace the evolution of TLC, which replaced paper chromatography as one of the most popular chromatographic techniques.

This installment surveys the evolution of thin-layer chromatography...

Leslie Ettre outlines the transition from metal tubes to glass and finally to fused-silica tubing and discusses improvements in stationary-phase technology. He also mentions some trends for further improvement of capillary column GC.