Pharma information Zone: Difference between Ascending and Descending Chromatography

Descending chromatography and the ascending chromatography are the types of the planar chromatography. It depends on the direction of the mobile phase.

The main difference between the descending chromatography and ascending chromatography is the following:

When the mobile phase moves in the upward direction it is known as the Ascending chromatography. While descending chromatography move in downward the direction it is known as the Descending chromatography.

Ascending chromatography	Descending chromatography
The mobile phase moves in an upward direction.	The mobile phase moves to a downward direction.
The mobile phase move up by the capillary action	The mobile phase move down by the gravitational force.
The solvent reservoir is at the top of the setup.	The solvent reservoir is the bottom of the setup.
Ascending chromatography has is a simple setup.	Descending chromatography has a complex setup.