Experimental design optimization of chromatographic separation for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in vegetable oils

HPLC with an electron acceptor stationary phase called tetrachlorophtalimidopropyl (TCP) was used to separate Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in vegetable oil without any preparation of the samples being studied. Using an hexane/methylterbutylether mobile phase then an hexane/dichloromethane one, it was possible to separate triglycerids and tocopherols from PAH fraction. A fractional factorial design 2 7-4 was used to perform the fractionating then the separation of the PAH fraction with the minimum of experiments. Seven factors were examined and the chromatography quality was evaluated through four answers. Finally, the predictions of the models and the characteristics of the separation were compared: the agreement was very good.