Question

What causes peak tailing?

(a) Depends on the concentration of solvent

(b) Occurrence of more than one mechanism of analytic retention

(c) Depends on the concentration of solute

(d) No occurrence of more than one mechanism of analytic retention

I got this question in semester exam.

I'm obligated to ask this question of Absorption Mechanisms in section Absorption of Food Processing Unit Operations

Answer 1

Right choice is (b) Occurrence of more than one mechanism of analytic retention

For explanation I would say: The primary cause of peak tailing is the existence of more than one mechanism of analytic retention. This is also due to analytic interactions with ionized silanols on the silica surface, which give rise to peak tailing. Therefore these interactions are to be minimized to achieve acceptable peak shapes.