Abstract
Particle chromatography using packed beds has attracted considerable attention in recent years. While, size separation in hydrodynamic chromatography (HDC) occurs in the interstitial voids of a nonporous packed bed, separation in size exclusion chromatography (SEC), which involves the use of a porous packed bed, results predominantly from the selective permeation of particles in the pores. In this paper, the developments in the understanding of these processes are critically examined and shortcomings of present theory are pointed out. Signal detection and methods of chromatogram interpretation are reviewed.