Simultaneous determination of sulfite, sulfate, and hydroxymethanesulfonate in atmospheric waters by ion-pair HPLC technique

A reversed-phase ion-pair HPLC with indirect photometric detection for the simultaneous determination of sulfite, sulfate, hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS), and other inorganic anions in atmospheric water has been developed. Separations were accomplished in less than 10 min in a cetylpyridinium-coated C₁₈ column with 0.5 mM potassium hydrogen phthalate-0.015% triethanolamine-3% methanol at pH 7.9 as mobile phase. Quantitation was carried out by the peak area method, with detection limits in the pmol range. UV light absorption responses were linear over a wide concentration range from several hundred μmoles to the detection limits of each anion. The application of the method provides a rapid and efficient technique for the quantitative determination of sulfur and other inorganic species in atmospheric liquids.