Multi-criteria decision making for simultaneous optimization of resolution and analysis time of aromatic diamines in high-submicellar liquid chromatography

Abstract

Multi-criteria decision making was used to simultaneous optimization of resolution and analysis time of five aromatic diamines in high-submicellar liquid chromatography. The factors studied were the concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS], and volume percentage of methanol. The experiments were performed according to a face-centered cube central composite design to map the chromatographic response surface. The chromatographic response functions (CRFs) were formed using two sigmoidal desirability functions and were considered as the responses of design. The sigmoidal functions were used to transform the optimization criteria, resolution and analysis time into the desirability values. The qualities of the obtained chromatograms in each experiment were evaluated using CRF. Then, multiple linear regression (MLR) was used to correlate the obtained CRFs to the experimental factors and their interactions. The obtained MLR model showed good descriptive and predictive ability (R2 = 0.9492 and F = 14.99). The optimum mobile phase composition for separation of interested aromatic diamines using a C18 column was 0.15 M SDS and 59 % (v/v) methanol. Proper resolutions with a reasonable analysis time were obtained under the optimum condition.