In column chromatography, a solid absorbent is placed in a vertical glass column and the mobile phase, a liquid, is added to the top and flows down through the column either by gravity or external pressure. Column chromatography is generally used as a purification technique: it isolates desired compounds from a mixture.

Citation

McKenzie, A. (2010). "Column chromatography." Unpublished manuscript, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado. <http://orgchem.colorado.edu/hndbksupport/colchrom/colchrom.html>.