What is chromatography? Definition and disambiguation

Chromatography is a physico-chemical process. The term comes from the Greek chroma = color and graphein = writing. In the case of chromatography the separation of a mixture of substances is based on the different distribution of the individual constituents between a stationary and mobile phase. In contrast to the mobile phase, the stationary phase does not move.

The aim of this chromatographic separation method is to separate complex mixtures and thus to identify and quantify the respective compounds.

Different separation methods or applications are distinguished in chromatography, eg: