The Utility of Cyclodextrin in Mobile Phase for High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Separation of Isomeric Estrogens

Abstract

Cyclodextrin was used as a component of mobile phase for the separation of isomeric estrogens by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The positional isomers of catechol and guaiacol estrogens were distinctly resolved by the addition of β-cyclodextrin in the mobile phase. The separation of estriol 16- and 17-glucuronides requires usually a prolonged time. The use of β-cyclodextrin in the mobile phase, however, reduced the retention time considerably. The effect of β-cyclodextrin concentration in the mobile phase on the detector response was also investigated. The response of a fluorescence detector was raised with an increasing concentration of β-cyclodextrin, while that of an electrochemical detector was significantly depressed.