The goal of the study was to investigate separation mechanism of selected "essential" amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, threonine, tryptophan, proline, and glycine) and vitamin B6 in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) with the evaporative light scattering detection. Chromatographic measurements were made on three different HILIC columns: amide-silica (TSK-gel Amide-80), amino-silica (TSK-gel NH2-100), and cross-linked diol (Luna HILIC). The retention behaviour of the analytes was investigated as a function of different binary hydro-organic mobile phases containing 10-90 % (v/v) acetonitrile. The compounds studied were separated under isocratic and gradient conditions. The best results of tested biologically active compounds separation were obtained on the TSK-gel NH2-100 column. TSK-gel NH2 column showed mixed HILIC-ion-exchange mechanism, the highest separation efficiency and better selectivity and resolution for tested analytes than the other studied column, especially at concentration of water in mobile phase lower than 30 % (v/v). Special attention was dedicated to the study of interactions among the stationary phase, mobile phase and the analytes.
Keywords: Amino acids; Evaporative light scattering detection; Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography; Retention mechanism; Vitamin B6.