The effectiveness of separation in chromatography
The effectiveness of a chromatographic column as a means of separating two solutes depends on the
relative rates at which the two species are eluted. This rate is determined by the partition ratios (K)
of the solutes between the two phases. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of separation in
chromatography also depends on the efficiency of the column. The separation efficiency of a column
can be expressed in terms of the number of theoretical plates in the column.