ANALYSIS OF SMALL MOLECULES
A small molecule refers to a compound of low molecular weight (typically less than 900 daltons). Some common examples of small molecules include amino acids, lipids, sugars, fatty acids, alkaloids, and others.

Different methods are available for the separation of small molecules including High Performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC), thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE). Furthermore, the options for their identification include nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) or mass spectrometry (MS). Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) became a key technique for the identification of small molecules during recent years.

Getting the best possible results in the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), UHPLC or LC-MS analysis of small molecules depends on the selection of the best suitable stationary phase and mobile phase conditions. The chemistry of the analyte is key for selecting the best suitable column chemistry. Other aspects such as speed, sample matrix, and number of compounds define the best suitable base material for the stationary phase.