Polyoxyethylene as the stationary phase in ion chromatography

The present article reviews the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polyoxyethylene (POE) as the stationary phase for the separation of inorganic anions in ion chromatography and discusses about the retention mechanisms involved in the separation of anions on the novel stationary phases. PEG permanently coated on a hydrophobic stationary phase retained anions in the partition mode and allowed us to use high-concentration eluents because the retention of anions increased with increasing eluent concentration for most of the eluents. This situation was convenient to determine trace anions contained in seawater samples without any disturbance due to matrices. Chemically bonded POE stationary phases retained not only anions but also cations. Anions were retained in the ion-exchange mode, although POE chains possess no ion exchange sites. The retention behavior suggested that eluent cations could be trapped among multiple POE chains via ion-dipole interaction, and that the trapped cations worked as the anion-exchange sites. Anions could be separated using crown ether, i.e., cyclic POE, as the eluent additive with a hydrophobic stationary phase, where analyte anions were retained via electrostatic interaction with the eluent cation trapped on the crown ether.     

Poly(ethylene oxide)-bonded stationary phase for capillary ion chromatography

Methyl-capped poly(ethylene oxide) moieties were chemically bonded to silica gel using an amine-reactive modification reagent and evaluated as the stationary phase for ion chromatography. In this work, primary amino groups of an aminopropylsilica packing material were reacted with methyl-PEO₁₂-NHS ester (succinimidyl-{[N-methyl]-dodecaethyleneglycol} ester) in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) at room temperature. The prepared poly(ethylene oxide)-bonded stationary was evaluated for the separation of inorganic anions, and the retention behavior of inorganic anions on the prepared stationary phase was examined. The elution order of the investigated anions was the same as that observed in common ion chromatography. Both cations and anions of the eluent affected the retention of the analyte anions. Ion exchange was involved for the retention of analyte anions, although the present stationary phase does not possess any discrete ion-exchange sites. The stationary phase was applied to the separation of trace anions contained in tap water and a rock salt.     

Vitamin U-bonded stationary phase in capillary ion chromatography

A vitamin U-bonded stationary phase was prepared and the retention behavior of inorganic anions was examined using ion chromatography. Inorganic anions were retained on the vitamin U-bonded stationary phase under acidic as well as neutral eluent conditions in the ion-exchange mode. The elution order of the examined anions under neutral eluent conditions was nearly the same as that observed in common ion exchange mode, while the elution order observed under acidic eluent conditions was completely different from that observed in common ion exchange mode. The retention of the analyte anions under the neutral eluent conditions was due to the sulfonium groups of the vitamin U, while protonated primary amino groups caused retention of the analyte anions with different selectivity under acidic conditions. The retention factor of the analyte anions increased with decreasing eluent concentration under both eluent conditions. The present system was applied to the determination of bromide and nitrate contained in seawater.     

Separation of inorganic anions on hydrophobic stationary phases in ion chromatography

Inorganic anions were separated on hydrophobic stationary phases such as triacontyl-functionalized silica. Eluent conditions were examined in detail, and iodate, nitrate, iodide, and thiocyanate could be separated by using aqueous solutions. The effect of the eluent concentration on the retention of analyte anions was examined for a wide range of sodium sulfate concentrations of up to 1 M. The retention factor of hydrophobic anions decreased with increasing sodium sulfate concentration in the lower concentration region, while it increased with increasing sodium sulfate concentration in the higher concentration region. The addition of a small amount of an organic substance such as acetonitrile and tetraethylene glycol increased the retention of iodide and thiocyanate, while the addition of alcohols decreased their retention. Operating at lower temperature also increased the retention of analyte anions. It was expected that inorganic anions were retained on the stationary phase via hydrophobic interactions. The retention mechanism was discussed, considering the results obtained.     

Ion chromatography using anion-exchangers modified with dextran sulfate

Summary Retention behavior of anions and cations on anion-exchangers modified with dextran sulfate has been investigated. Retention of anions was remarkably reduced by the modification, and the retention factor decreased with decreasing eluent concentration when sodium sulfate was used as the eluent. Cations were also retained on the modified stationary phase, and alkali and alkaline-earth metal ions were separated using copper sulfate or tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium chloride as eluent. The size of the dextran sulfate strongly affected the retention behavior of analyte ions.     

Effect of eluent composition on retention behavior of anions in ion chromatography on anion-exchangers modified with heparin

Effects of eluent composition on retention behavior of inorganic anions have been investigated in ion chromatography using anion-exchangers modified with heparin. Both cation and anion of the eluent affected the retention of analyte anions and unusual retention behavior was observed on the modified stationary phase. The retention time of anions decreased with decreasing eluent concentration when sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate and chlorides of alkali metals were used as the eluent, whereas it increased with decreasing eluent concentration when aluminum sulfate, copper sulfate and sulfuric acid were used as the eluent. The retention of nitrate increased in the order of Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺ and Cs⁺ when their chlorides were used as the eluent. When sodium perchlorate and chlorides of alkaline-earth metals were used as the eluent, the eluent should include heparin. Otherwise, the modifier was partially bled from the column.     

Determination of iodide in seawater and edible salt by microcolumn liquid chromatography with poly(ethylene glycol) stationary phase

An ion chromatography method for rapid and direct determination of iodide in seawater and edible salt is reported. Separation was achieved using a laboratory-made C30 packed column (100 mm x 0.32 mm i.d.) modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). Effects of eluent composition on retention behavior of inorganic anions have been investigated. Both cation and anion of the eluent affected the retention of analyte anions. The retention time of anions increased with increasing eluent concentration when lithium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate were used as the eluent, while it decreased with increasing eluent concentration when ammonium sulfate was used as the eluent. The detection limit for iodide obtained by injecting 0.2 microl of sample was 9 microg/l (S/N = 3). The present method was successfully applied to the rapid and direct determination of iodide in seawater and edible salt samples. Partition may be involved in the present separation mode.     

Retention profiles and mechanism of anion separation on latex-based pellicular ion exchanger in ion chromatography

A retention model based on stoichiometric approach has been developed in order to describe analyte retention of anions on latex-based pellicular ion exchanger. The chromatographic process entails two stepwise and complex equilibria, first is ion-pair forming of analyte or eluent ion with ion-exchange sites under the effect of electrostatic forces due to the sulfonic layer behind the aminated functional groups of stationary phase. Second component is the ion-exchange between the analyte and eluent ions. As a new parameter of the fractional electrostatic coefficient of the ion exchange capacity was introduced to develop retention profiles of anions. Analysis of the dependence of the capacity factors on the eluent concentrations at different values of fractional coefficient shed light on the possible complex mechanism. Extensive experimental retention data were obtained for 14 anions (formate, acetate, propionate, pyruvate, lactate, chloride, nitrate, oxalate, malonate, succinate, tartarate, fumarate, maleate, sulphate) using hydroxide eluents of varying concentration. The ion-pair formation and ion-exchange selectivity constants for analyte and eluent species are determined using derived retention equation from experimental data by nonlinear iterative calculation. The model was utilized to predict retention data under elution conditions of practical importance. The predicted and obtained retention factors are in good agreement, which confirms the predictive power of the model.     

Retention controlling and peak shape simulation in anion chromatography using multiple equilibrium model and stochastic theory

The stochastic theory of chromatography and an equilibrium based approach were used for the prediction of peak shape and retention data of anions. This attempt incorporating the potential advantages of two different chromatographic phenomena for analytical purposes. It is an integrated method to estimate kinetic and thermodynamic properties for the same chromatographic run of ions. The stochastic parameters of eluted anions, such as the residence time of the molecule on the surface of the stationary phase, and the average number of adsorption steps were determined on the basis of a retention database of organic and inorganic anions (formate, chloride, bromide, nitrate, sulphate, oxalate, phosphate) obtained by using carbonate/bicarbonate eluent system at different pHs (9-11) and concentrations (7-13 mM). In the investigated IC system the residence times are much higher and the average number of sorption steps is somewhat smaller than in RP-HPLC. The simultaneous application of the stochastic and the multispecies eluent/analyte model was utilized to peak shape simulation and the retention controlling of various anions under elution conditions of practical importance. The similarities between the measured and the calculated chromatograms indicates the predictive and simulation power of the combined application of the stochastic theory and the multiple species eluent/analyte retention model.     

Interconversion of gradient and isocratic retention data in reversed-phase liquid chromatography: Effect of the uptake of eluent modifier on the retention of analytes

The experimental technique of mass spectrometric tracer pulse chromatography was used to study the effect of the sorption of eluent components by a C₁₈-bonded silica RPLC packing on the retention of a series of test analytes during isocratic and gradient elution experiments. The analytes of interest were a substituted phenol, a substituted nitroaniline, an anti-malaria drug, tetrahydrofuran, and methanol. The eluent used was a mixture of acetonitrile and water. The solutes and isotopically labeled eluent components were injected at fixed time intervals during each gradient run. The mass specific detector allowed the assignment of individual analyte peaks even when there was overlap in the chromatograms from successive injections. Thus, the retention time of each analyte could be determined as a function of gradient slope and initial eluent composition at the time of each injection. Experimental gradient retention time data were then compared with the calculated results from two theoretical models. The first model assumed the velocity of the mobile phase and eluent were equal. The second and most realistic model assumed the velocity of the eluent was less than the velocity of the mobile phase due to the uptake of eluent by the stationary phase. Gradient retention times predicted by the two models were reasonably accurate with the sorption model giving slightly more accurate values. Inverse calculations, i.e., calculation of isocratic retention factors from gradient elution data were also carried out with very similar results. That is, the model allowing for the uptake of eluent was slightly more accurate than the model assuming no eluent-stationary phase interaction.     

亲水作用色谱柱与阳离子交换树脂柱结合分离无机离子（英文）

A combination of hydrophilic interaction chromatographic(HILIC) column and a weakly acidic cation-exchange resin(WCX) column was used for simultaneous separation of inorganic anions and cations by ion chromatography(IC).Firstly,the capability of HILIC column for the separation of analyte ions was evaluated under acidic eluent conditions.The columns used were SeQuant ZIC-HILIC(ZIC-HILIC) with a sulfobetaine-zwitterion stationary phase(ZIC-HILIC) and Acclaim HILIC-10 with a diol stationary phase(HILIC-10).When using tartaric acid as the eluent,the HILIC columns indicated strong retentions for anions,based on ion-pair interaction.Especially,HILIC-10 could strongly retain anions compared with ZIC-HILIC.The selectivity for analyte anions of HILIC-10 with 5 mmol/L tartaric acid eluent was in the order of I-> NO-3 > Br-> Cl-> H2PO-4.However,since HILIC-10 could not separate analyte cations,a WCX column(TSKgel Super IC-A/C) was connected after the HILIC column in series.The combination column system of HILIC and WCX columns could successfully separate ten ions(Na+,NH+4,K+,Mg2+,Ca2+,H2PO-4,Cl-,Br-,NO-3 and I-) with elution of 4 mmol/L tartaric acid plus 8 mmol/L 18-crown-6.The relative standard deviations(RSDs) of analyte ions by the system were in the ranges of 0.02%-0.05% in retention times and 0.18%-5.3% in peak areas through three-time successive injections.The limits of detection at signal-to-noise ratio of 3 were 0.24-0.30 μmol/L for the cations and 0.31-1.2 μmol/L for the anions.This system was applied for the simultaneous determination of the cations and the anions in a vegetable juice sample with satisfactory results.     

Effect of 18-Crown-6 on the Separation Selectivity of Organic Compounds by Reversed-Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

The effect of the addition of 18-crown-6 to the water–methanol and water–acetonitrile mobile phase on the selectivity of the separation of different derivatives of phenol, aniline, and benzoic acid by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was studied. It was demonstrated that the retention of compounds with the protonated primary amino group is increased in the presence of 18-crown-6 in the eluent, which can be explained by complexation between analyte compounds and macrocycles. For compounds containing the hydroxyl group (phenol and its derivatives), the addition of 18-crown-6 to the mobile phase leads to some decrease in retention. It was demonstrated that the selectivity of 18-crown-6 can change depending on the nature of the positional isomer (ortho, meta, orpara) of the analyte and the nature of the solvent increasing or decreasing the complexing ability of the sorbate with the macrocycle. The effect of the concentration of crown ether on the retention of compounds with the protonated amino group was revealed, and the complexation mechanism was suggested.     

Reduction of silanophilic interactions in liquid chromatography with the use of ionic liquids

A suppression of silanophilic interactions by the selected ionic liquids added to the mobile phase in thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is reported. Acetonitrile was used as the eluent, alone or with various concentrations of water and phosphoric buffer pH 3. Selectivity of the normal (NP) and the reversed (RP) stationary phase material was examined using a series of proton-acceptor basic drugs analytes. The ionic liquids studied appeared to significantly affect analyte retention in NP-TLC, RP-TLC and RP-HPLC systems tested. Consequently, the increased separation selectivity was attained. Due to ionic liquid additives to eluent even analytes could be chromatographed, which were not eluted from the silica-based stationary phase materials with 100% of acetonitrile in the mobile phase. Addition of ionic liquid already in very small concentration (0.5%, v/v) could reduce the amount of acetonitrile used during the optimization of basic analytes separations in TLC and HPLC systems. Moreover, the influence of temperature on the separation of basic analytes was demonstrated and considered in practical HPLC method development.     

Electrostatic ion chromatography using a carboxybetaine-type zwitterionic surfactant as the stationary phase

A carboxybetaine-type zwitterionic stationary phase obtained by immobilizing Mitsubishi Reagent EF-700 (C(8)F(17)SO(2)NHC(3)H(6)N(+) (CH(3))(2)-C(2)H(4)-COO(-)) onto a reversed-phase column was used for chromatographic separation of ions. When aqueous electrolyte solutions having higher pH values (>8) were used as eluents, the model analyte ions (NO(2)(-), H(2)PO(4)(-), Cl(-), Br(-), NO(3)(-), ClO(3)(-), I(-) and SCN(-)) were co-eluted and appeared at the void volume of this HPLC system. However, when aqueous electrolyte solutions having lower pH values (<5.5) were used as eluents, these anions were well retained and separated. Furthermore, when acetate buffers (NaAc/HAc) were used as eluents, plots of log k' (k', retention factor) versus pH of eluents (at constant [NaAc+HAc]), and log k' versus log [NaAc+HAc] (at constant pH), were linear with negative slopes. Breakthrough curves for acid solutions obtained using conductivity detection showed that H(+) ions and their conjugate anions were both retained on the stationary phase and the degree of binding was found to be independent of the acid species used. The degree to which the eluent cation was bound onto the carboxylate functionality of the zwitterion was found to exert a major effect on the retention of analyte anions. A strongly bound cation, such as H(+), reduced electrostatic repulsion effects exerted by the carboxylate functionality on analyte anions, so that they could freely access the quaternary ammonium sites on the zwitterion. It is concluded based on these experimental results that both the charges on the zwitterionic stationary phase make meaningful contributions to the separation of the analyte ions.     

Impact of methanol and acetonitrile on separations based on pi-pi interactions with a reversed-phase phenyl column

Studies were performed to investigate the roles of methanol and acetonitrile on the retention mechanism of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and related compounds with a reversed phase phenyl column. Different retention orders were observed depending upon whether acetonitrile or methanol was used as the organic modifier. We propose that acetonitrile impedes the selective pi-pi interactions between the analyte molecules and the phenyl groups in the stationary phase. Further study with 1-naphthoic acid and 1-naphthol as test compounds in the HPLC separation provides additional support for the influence of acetonitrile on pi-pi interactions between analyte molecules and a phenyl stationary phase. This study suggests that methanol be used as the preferred organic modifier with phenyl columns to achieve selectivity based upon pi-pi interactions.     

Why robust background electrolytes containing multivalent ionic species can fail in capillary zone electrophoresis

Previous models for the retention behaviour of carboxylic acids in ion-exclusion chromatography are applicable only when the degree of ionisation of the analyte is constant over the entire chromatographic peak. When solutions of sulfuric acid are used as eluents, this condition applies only when the eluent concentration is considerably higher than that of the analyte. Since it is common for dilute solutions of sulfuric acid to be used as eluents, a retention model which accounts for unbuffered eluents has been developed. This model also considers the effects on retention of hydrophobic adsorption of the undissociated and dissociated forms of the analyte onto the stationary phase substrate, as well as the effects of organic solvents added to the eluent. The derivation of this model is presented and it has been evaluated using a comprehensive set of retention data obtained using three different sulfonated stationary phases over a range of eluent conditions. The adsorption coefficients calculated from the model are in accordance with expected trends and showed that both the undissociated and dissociated forms of the analyte acids were retained by hydrophobic adsorption effects, although this adsorption was much stronger for the undissociated analytes.     

Analyte-stationary phase interactions in ion-exclusion chromatography

The currently accepted analyte-stationary phase interactions occurring in ion-exclusion chromatography are re-examined. In particular, the requirement for the existence of a Donnan membrane separating the flowing, interstitial eluent from the static, occluded, liquid acting as the stationary phase is scrutinized, together with the role of hydrophobic adsorption effects in the retention of aromatic analytes. Plots showing the interconversion of the column between the analyte and eluent forms are used to highlight some shortcomings of the currently accepted mechanism for ion-exclusion chromatography. An alternative retention mechanism for ion-exclusion chromatography is proposed, based on the presence of a potential well at the surface of the fully functionalized styrene-divinylbenzene co-polymer stationary phase. Analytes diffuse into the potential well under the effects of concentration gradients, and undergo repulsion effects from the fixed charges inside the pores. The net contributions of these two opposing processes determine the degree to which an analyte is retained on the stationary phase. Negligible hydrophobic adsorption of the analyte onto the polymeric resin supporting the stationary phase is considered to occur.     

Separation and indirect detection of small-chain peptides using chromophoric mobile phase additives

Ruthenium(II) 1,10-phenanthroline, Ru(phen)3(2+), and ruthenium(II) 2,2'-bipyridyl, Ru(bipy)3(2+), salts were evaluated as mobile phase additives for the liquid chromatographic separation of small-chain peptides on a polystyrene-divinylbenzene copolymeric (Hamilton PRP-1) stationary phase. In a basic mobile phase peptides are anions, and retention, resolution and detection occur because of the interactions between the stationary phase, the RuII complex and the peptide anion. Since the RuII complex concentration changes in the analyte band relative to the background eluent RuII complex concentration, the peptide can be detected by indirect photometric detection using the wavelength where the RuII complex absorbs. Peptide analyte peaks may be positive or negative depending on the counter-anion and its concentration. Small-chain peptides that do not contain chromophoric side-chains are detected without derivatization at about 0.1 nmol injected at a 3:1 signal-to-noise ratio. Factors that affect retention, resolution and indirect photometric detection are the RuII complex, its mobile phase concentration, mobile phase pH and solvent composition, and the type and concentration of the mobile phase counter-anion and/or buffer anion.     

Determination of iodide in seawater using C30 column modified with polyoxyethylene oleyl ether in ion chromatography

An ion chromatographic method for rapid and direct determination of iodide in seawater samples is reported. Separation was achieved using a laboratory-made C30 packed column (100 mm × 0.32 mm i.d.) modified with polyoxyethylene oleyl ether, with an aqueous solution of 300 mM sodium chloride as eluent and using UV detection at 220 nm. Samples containing iodate, nitrate, iodide and thiocyanate were eluted within 8 min, and the relative standard deviations of the retention time, peak area and peak height were all smaller than 4.19% for all of the analyte anions. Effects of eluent composition on retention behavior of inorganic anions have been investigated. Both cation and anion of the eluent affected the retention time of analytes. When inorganic eluents, such as ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, lithium chloride, sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate were used, the retention time of analytes increased with increasing eluent concentration. The limit of detection of iodide was 19 μg l⁻¹ (S/N = 3), while the limit of quantitation was 66 μg l⁻¹ (S/N = 10). The present method was successfully applied to the rapid and direct determination of iodide in seawater samples.     

Excess Adsorption of Organic Eluent Components from Mobile Phases Containing Electrolytes

The excess adsorption isotherms of organic eluent components from solutions containing electrolytes on a C18-bonded stationary phase are investigated by frontal analysis in staircase mode. The excess adsorption of acetonitrile increases when NaHSO₄, NaH₂PO₄, NaCl, or NaOAc is added to the eluent, but decreases upon addition of NaBr or NaClO₄. The excess adsorption of acetonitrile increases in the order of NaCl, NaHSO₄, NaH₂PO₄?>?NaOAc?>?NaBr, NaClO₄. On the other hand, the effect of electrolyte addition on the excess adsorption of methanol is not significant. The effect of electrolytes on the retention of alkylbenzenes in reversed-phase liquid chromatography is discussed on the basis of the excess adsorption of organic eluent components. The retention of alkylbenzenes shows negative correlation with the excess adsorption of acetonitrile. This indicates that the acetonitrile layer on the stationary phase does not act as a part of the stationary phase. A developed acetonitrile layer reduces the retention of alkylbenzenes by the competitive adsorption at the interface between the organic layer and the stationary phase.