Key WordsColumn liquid chromatography Chromatographic behavior pH optimization SummaryThe effects of pH on both the solute retention and the peak shape of ionogenic compounds are studied in order to propose accurate models for pH optimization purposes. Several mathematical models (theoretical and empirical) for describing the variation of the retention factor versus pH are compared within different pH ranges. Limits of such models used for optimizing the pH by requiring only 3 preliminary experimental runs, are discussed in terms of deviations (< + 5 %) of predicted retention times from experimental retention times. An original procedure is developed for selecting the most convenient retention model, from a given set of three retention data. This set is also applied to modeling the variation of both peak width and peak asymmetry with mobile phase pH conditions. Such a procedure is demonstrated as helpful for the separation of ionogenic solutes by considering mobile phase pH as an additional variable that can be useful during optimization procedures.