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.     

Speciation of iodate and iodide in seawater by non-suppressed ion chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A non-suppressed ion chromatography (IC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been developed for simultaneous determination of trace iodate and iodide in seawater. An anion-exchange column (G3154A/101, provided by Agilent) was used for the separation of iodate and iodide with an eluent containing 20 mM NH₄NO₃ at pH 5.6, which reduced the build-up of salts on the sampler and skimmer cones. The influences of competing ion (NO₃⁻) in the eluent on the retention time and detection sensitivity were investigated to give reasonable resolution and detection limits. Linear plots were obtained in a concentration range of 5.0–500 μg/L and the detection limit was 1.5 μg/L for iodate and 2.0 μg/L for iodide. The proposed method was used to determinate iodate and iodide in seawaters without sample pre-treatment with exception of dilution.     

Rapid separation of inorganic anions by capillary ion chromatography using monolithic silica columns modified with dilauryldimethylammonium ion.

The rapid separation of inorganic anions was determined by capillary ion chromatography using monolithic silica capillary columns modified with dilauryldimethylammonium bromide. The stability of the modified stationary phase was satisfactory owing to a strong hydrophobic interaction between the lauryl groups of the reagent, even if the eluent did not contain dilauryldimethylammonium ion. Bromide in seawater samples could be determined by the present system. The repeatability of a retention time of bromide for six successive measurements was around 1.8% when a 500 mM sodium chloride aqueous solution was used as the eluent. Seawater samples were directly injected onto the prepared column without any interference of matrix ions, because an aqueous solution of high-concentration sodium chloride could be used as the eluent. Bromide in seawater samples could be determined within 2 min.     

Suppressed ion chromatography methods for the routine determination of ultra low level anions and cations in ice cores.

The concentration of trace ionic species in snow and ice samples was determined using suppressed ion chromatography (IC) with conductivity detection and ultra-clean sample preparation techniques. Trace anion species were determined in a single 24-min run by combining sample preconcentration with gradient elution using Na2B4O7 eluent. The detection limits (ranging from 0.001 to 0.006 microM) are the lowest reported in the literature. Cation species were analysed by direct injection of 0.25 ml and isocratic elution with a H2SO4 eluent. The clean preparation techniques showed no evidence of a difference (Student's t-test) between Milli-Q water samples analysed directly and processed Milli-Q ice samples. These robust, ultra-clean IC methods were routinely applied to the analysis of large number of samples to produce a high-resolution trace ion ice core record from Law Dome, East Antarctica.     

Prediction of the effects of methanol and competing ion concentration on retention in the ion chromatographic separation of anionic and cationic pharmaceutically related compounds

The mixed-mode separation of a selection of anionic and cationic pharmaceutically related compounds is studied using ion-exchange columns and eluents consisting of ionic salts (potassium hydroxide or methanesulfonic acid) and an organic modifier (methanol). All separations were performed using commercially available ion-exchange columns and an ion chromatography instrument modified to allow introduction of methanol into the eluent without introducing compatibility problems with the eluent generation system. Isocratic retention prediction was undertaken over the two-dimensional space defined by the concentration of the competing ion and the percentage of organic modifier in the eluent. Various empirical models describing the observed relationships between analyte retention and both the competing ion concentration and the percentage of methanol were evaluated, with the resultant model being capable of describing the separation, including peak width, over the entire experimental space based on six initial experiments. Average errors in retention time and peak width were less than 6% and 27%, respectively, for runs taken from both inside and outside of the experimental space. Separations performed under methanol gradient conditions (while holding the competing ion concentration constant) were also modelled. The observed effect on retention of varying the methanol composition differed between analytes with several analytes exhibiting increased retention with increased percentage methanol in the eluent. An empirical model was derived based on integration of the observed t_R vs. %methanol plot for each analyte. A combination of the isocratic and gradient models allowed for the prediction of retention time using multi-step methanol gradient profiles with average errors in predicted retention times being less than 4% over 30 different 2- and 3-step gradient profiles for anions and less than 6% over 14 different 2- and 3-step gradient profiles for cations. A modified peak compression model was used to estimate peak widths under these conditions. This provided adequate width prediction with the average error between observed and predicted peak widths being less than 15% for 40 1-, 2- and 3-step gradients for anions and less than 13% over 14 1-, 2- and 3-step gradients for cations.     

Indirect ultraviolet spectrophotometric detection in the ion chromatography of common mono- and divalent cations on an aluminium adsorbing silica gel column with tyramine-containing crown ethers as eluent

The application of laboratory-made aluminium-adsorbing silica gel (Al-Silica) as a cation-exchange stationary phase to ion chromatography-indirect photometric detection (IC-IPD) for common mono- and divalent cations (Li+, Na+, NH+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+) was carried out by using protonated tyramine (4-aminoethylphenol) as eluent ion. When using 1.2 mM tyramine-0.2 mM oxalic acid at pH 4.5 as eluent, incomplete separation of the monovalent cations and complete separation of the divalent cations were achieved in 17 min. Then, the addition of crown ethers in the eluent was carried out for the complete separation of the mono- and divalent cations. As a result, when using 1.2 mM tyramine--0.2 mM oxalic acid at pH 4.5 containing either 5 mM 15-crown-5 (1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxacyclopentadecane) or 0.5 mM and 18-crown-6 (1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane) as eluent, excellently simultaneous separation of these cations was achieved in 21 min. The proposed IC-IPD was successfully applied to the determination of major cations in natural water samples.     

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.     

Selective preconcentration of uranyl ion by silica gel phases modified with chelating compounds as inorganic polymeric ion exchangers.

Four chemically modified chelating silica gel phases (I - IV) with ion exchange groups were tested for their potential capability to selectively bind, extract and preconcentrate uranyl ions (UO(2)(2+)) from different aqueous solutions as well as ore samples. Factors affecting such determination processes were studied and optimized. These included the pH of the contact solution, the mass of the silica gel phase extractant, the stirring time during the application of a static technique and the eluent concentration for desorption of the surface-bound uranyl ion and interfering anions and cations. All these factors were evaluated on the basis of determinations of the distribution coefficient value (K(d)) and the percent recovery (R%). Percent recovery values of 91% for silica phase (II) and 93% for silica phase (IV) were identified in the optimum conditions. The proposed preconcentration method was further applied to uranium ore samples as well as granite samples. The determined percentage and ppm values are in good agreement with the standard assigned ones. The structure of the synthesized silica gel phases (I - IV) and their uranyl bound complexes were identified and characterized by means of infrared analysis, thermal analysis (TGA) and potentiometric titration.     

Use of zwitterionic micelles in the eluent: a new approach for ion chromatographic (IC) analysis of ions in biological fluids with direct sample injection

The problem of column performance degradation due to irreversible binding of proteins encountered in ion chromatographic (IC) analysis of ions in protein-containing samples was overcome by using zwitterionic micelles (e.g., Zwittergent-3-14) as a portion of the eluent. A zwitterionic micellar eluent showed high ability for solubilization of proteins, and, hence, the protein-containing samples could be analyzed without need for deproteinization. On the other hand, the zwitterionic micelle was insensitive to conductivity but interacted with the analyte ions, due mainly to its unique configuration of charges (namely, the zwitterionic micelle containing both positively and negatively charged groups but carrying no net charge). Using a zwitterionic micellar eluent, the analyte ions could be detected selectively and sensitively, and moreover, the selectivity for the analyte ions was unique. A conventional anion-exchange column conditioned with a Zwittergent-3-14 micellar eluent was applied for the analysis of real biological samples (serum and urine) with direct sample injection. The results of the successful detection of inorganic anions (Cl-, SO4(2-), NO2-, Br-, and NO3-) have demonstrated the usefulness of this new IC approach for the analysis of biological samples.     

离子色谱-串联质谱法检测茶叶中的高氯酸盐

建立了离子色谱-串联质谱检测茶叶中高氯酸盐的分析方法。选用高容量、强亲水性的IonPac AS20阴离子交换柱（2 mm）进行分离,以淋洗液自动发生器在线产生的70 mmol/L氢氧化钾为淋洗液等浓度淋洗,TSQ Quantiva三重四极杆质谱仪作检测器,采用电喷雾电离源负离子（ESI^-）模式、多反应监测（MRM）模式进行分析,内标法定量。结果表明,高氯酸盐在0.02~10.0 μg/L范围内线性关系良好,相关系数（r）为0.9991,定量限为2 μg/kg。运用该方法测定5种茶叶中的高氯酸盐,加标回收率为87.3%~112.2%。该方法具有操作简单、专属性强、灵敏度高等优点,可满足茶叶中高氯酸盐的检测要求。     

离子色谱-串联质谱法检测酒类产品中10种有机酸

建立了一种离子色谱-串联质谱(IC-MS/MS)测定白酒、黄酒、干红葡萄酒3种酒类样品中10种有机酸含量的方法。白酒样品氮吹后,经去离子水稀释,用IC-MS/MS分析检测;干红葡萄酒样品和黄酒样品,对比不同固相萃取小柱净化能力,最终选择石墨化炭黑固相萃取小柱进行净化,经去离子水稀释,用IC-MS/MS分析检测。选用高容量、强亲水性的Dionex IonPac^TM AS11-HC型阴离子分析柱进行分离,以淋洗液自动发生器在线产生的KOH水溶液为淋洗液,进行梯度淋洗。淋洗液经抑制器抑制后直接进入电喷雾电离串联质谱(ESI-MS/MS),采用负离子模式电离,多反应监测(MRM)模式检测,外标法定量。在该实验条件下:草酸、富马酸、马来酸、苹果酸、酒石酸、柠檬酸、奎尼酸和乌头酸在0.05~2 mg/L范围内线性关系良好;琥珀酸在0.05~5 mg/L范围内线性关系良好;乳酸在0.05~10 mg/L范围内线性关系良好(相关系数r²>0.99)。10种有机酸的检出限(S/N=3)在1.0~8.0 μg/L范围内,定量限(S/N=10)在3.5~26.5 μg/L范围内,在3个不同浓度的添加水平下,平均回收率在83.0%~112.1%之间,相对标准偏差≤9.1%,满足检测要求。该方法前处理简单,不使用有机溶剂,不需进行衍生化处理,测定快速、准确,灵敏度高,适用于3种酒类样品中10种有机酸的定量分析,为酒类食品的风味及品质测定提供方法支持。     

Zwitterionic ion chromatography with carboxybetaine surfactant-coated particle packed and monolithic type columns

Both particle packed (25 cm x 0.46 cm I.D. SUPELCOSIL 5 microm C18) and monolithic type (10 cm x 0.46 cm I.D. Merck Chromolith Performance C18) reversed-phase substrates were dynamically coated with a carboxybetaine type zwitterionic surfactant ((dodecyldimethyl-amino) acetic acid) and investigated as stationary phases for use in zwitterionic ion chromatography (ZIC). Investigations into eluent concentration and pH were carried out using KCl eluents containing 0.2 mM of the carboxybetaine surfactant to stabilise the column coatings. It was found that eluent concentration decreased anion retention whilst simultaneously increasing peak efficiencies, which may be due to the dissociation of intra- and inter-molecular salts of the carboxybetaine surfactant under higher ionic strength conditions. The Effect of eluent pH was an increase in anion retention with decreased eluent pH due to the increased protonation of the weak acid terminal group of the carboxybetaine, causing both a relative increase in the positive charge of the stationary phase and less repulsion of the anions by the dissociated weak acid group. The carboxybetaine-coated monolithic phase was applied to rapid anion separations using elevated flow rates and flow rate gradients.     

Retention in analytical ion exchange chromatography-1. Strong electrolytes on strong ion exchangers

A retention equation of general validity is adapted to ion exchange chromatography providing a self-consistent interpretation of retention of solutes and system peaks. Discussion is limited to eluent mixtures containing ions of invariant charge and to stationary phases with pH-independent surface charge. An interpretation is proposed for the retention volume of system peaks in binary eluents (mixtures of two eluent counter-ions). Retention volumes of labelled counter-ions of the eluent appear to provide useful information about the chromatographic system with clear interpretation in any multicomponent eluent.     

Determination of toluene diisocyanate in synthetic-rubber track by ion chromatography with ultraviolet detection after alkaline suppressor

In the present work,a novel analytical method was proposed for the determination of toluene diisocyanate(TDI)in synthetic- rubber track by ion chromatography(IC)coupled with an ultraviolet detector setting at 212 nm.TDI can be hydrolyzed to toluene diamine(TDA)which can be separated by cation-exchange IC easily.The optimum IC separation was performed on an IonPac CS12A column(150 mm×4.0 mm)using 20 mmol L~(-1)sodium sulfate,10 mmol L~(-1)sulfuric acid and 10%acetonitrile as eluent. It was found that a hi...     

A unified ion chromatographic system for the determination of acidity and alkalinity.

A unified ion chromatographic (IC) system was developed for the determination of acidity or alkalinity. Separation column used was a reversed-phase ODS packed column, which had been modified by saturating it with lithium dodecylsulfate. A slightly acidified LiCl (50 mM LiCl and 0.05 mM H2SO4) aqueous solution was used as the eluent. By conditioning the separation column in this way, both H+ and Li+ ions became bound to the stationary phase. Dodecylsulfate groups with Li+ counterions acted as cation-exchange sites for the separation of hydrogen ions (free acidity determination). The remaining dodecylsulfate groups, with H+ counterions acted as a titrant, which reacted with basic species (total alkalinity determination). The acidity or alkalinity of each sample was measured according to the change in conductance from the eluent baseline level. A positive peak was observed from those samples with a free acidity greater than their total alkalinity, due to the separation/elution of free H+ ions. A negative peak was observed from those samples with a free acidity less than their total alkalinity. This was due to an equivalent amount of eluent H+ ions being re-supplied to the stationary phase while the "solid titrant" consumed by the acid-base reaction was regenerated. The retention time for the peak corresponding to the acidity or alkalinity was governed by the retention time for H+ ions in this IC system. Samples with a free acidity greater than 2.25 microM (tested by determination of H+ ions in pure water in equilibrium with atmospheric CO2) could be analyzed by this method. A very similar detection level was obtained for alkalinity (tested by analyzing standard aqueous NaHCO3 solutions). Aqueous solutions of some strong-acid/strong-base inorganic salts were found to be slightly alkaline. This was measured as a percentage, relative to an NaHCO3 solution at the same concentration. Solutions of NaClO4, Na2SO4, NaI, NaNO3, and NaCl, gave comparative alkalinity values of 8.75%, 1.83%, 0.42%, 0.35%, and 0.33%, respectively.     

A single pump column-switching technique coupled with polystyrene-divinylbenzene-carbon nanotubes column for the determination of trace anions in different concentrated organic matrices by ion chromatography

An ion chromatographic method with on-line sample pretreatment was developed for the trace analysis of seven common anions in concentrated matrices. The pretreatment column used in this study consisted of polystyrene-divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). It was too hydrophobic to retain different inorganic anions, but it showed a strong affinity for organic compounds. Thus, this chromatographic system could be used to detect trace anions in organic solvents, organic acids and relevant salts. The addition of MWCNTs decreased the surface areas of stationary phases and the retention times of organic matrices were shortened. Compared with conventional column-switching technique, only a single instrument (ICS2100) was needed in this system, including a pump, a conductivity detector, an eluent generator, a six-port valve and a ten-port valve. An electrochemical self-generating suppressor (ESGS) was adopted to convert the eluent of KOH into water for the matrix elimination. Two different eluent were employed in the chromatographic system, one for separation and the other for matrix elimination. The sample pretreatment and analysis were realized simultaneously. After optimization of this system, a calibration study was conducted by preparing and analyzing eight concentrations (between 5 and 5000 μg L(-1)) of mixture standards of seven anions in deionized water. The linearity was between 0.9990 and 0.9998, and the detection limits ranged from 0.41 to 3.17 μg L(-1). A spiking study was performed on three representative organic chemicals with satisfactory recoveries between 88.1% and 118.5% when the concentrations of the matrices did not exceed 10 g L(-1).     

Determination of trace inorganic anions in seawater samples by ion chromatography using silica columns modified with cetyltrimethylammonium ion

Conventional silica columns dynamically modified with cetyltrimethylammonium ions were evaluated for the determination of UV-absorbing bromide, nitrate, and nitrite in seawater samples. Cetyltrimethylammonium, which is a quaternary ammonium ion, was dynamically introduced onto silica surfaces. The first layer of the modifier was introduced by electrostatic interaction, whereas the second layer was introduced by hydrophobic interaction. The latter layer worked as the anion-exchange sites. The modified conventional silica columns could be used for separation of inorganic anions. Separation of authentic mixture of five anions was achieved within 17 min. The addition of 0.1 mM cetyltrimethylammonium ion to the eluent improved the repeatability of the retention time. Seawater samples could be directly injected onto the prepared conventional silica columns, and bromide, nitrate, and nitrite levels were determined to be 69, 0.13, and 0.016 ppm, respectively.     

Portable,lightweight, low power,ion chromatographic system with open tubular capillary columns

Basic operation principles of a lightweight, low power, low cost, portable ion chromatograph utilizing open tubular ion chromatography in capillary columns coated with multi-layer polymeric stationary phases are demonstrated. A minimalistic configuration of a portable IC instrument was developed that does not require any chromatographic eluent delivery system, nor sample injection device as it uses gravity-based eluent flow and hydrodynamic sample injection adopted from capillary electrophoresis. As a detection device, an inexpensive commercially available capacitance sensor is used that has been shown to be a suitable substitute for contactless conductivity detection in capillary separation systems. The built-in temperature sensor allows for baseline drift correction typically encountered in conductivity/capacitance measurements without thermostating device. The whole instrument does not require any power supply for its operation, except the detection and data acquisition part that is provided by a USB port of a Netbook computer. It is extremely lightweight, its total weight including the Netbook computer is less than 2.5 kg and it can be continuously operated for more than 8 h. Several parameters of the instrument, such as detection cell design, eluent delivery systems and data treatment were optimized as well as the composition of eluent for non-suppressed ion chromatographic analysis of common inorganic cations (Na⁺, NH₄⁺, K⁺, Cs⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, transition metals). Low conductivity eluents based on weakly complexing organic acids such as tartaric, oxalic or pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acids were used with contactless capacitance detection for simultaneous separation of mono- and divalent cations. Separation of Na⁺ and NH₄⁺ cations was optimized by addition of 18-crown-6 to the eluent. The best separation of 6 metal cations commonly present in various environmental samples was accomplished in less than 30 min using a 1.75 mM pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid and 3 mM 18-crown-6 eluent with excellent repeatability (below 2%) and detection limits in the low micromolar range. The analysis of field samples is demonstrated; the concentrations of common inorganic cations in river water, mineral water and snow samples were determined.     

Use of zwitterionic micelles in the eluent: a new approach for ion chromatographic (IC) analysis of ions in biological fluids with direct sample injection

The problem of column performance degradation due to irreversible binding of proteins encountered in ion chromatographic (IC) analysis of ions in protein-containing samples was overcome by using zwitterionic micelles (e.g., Zwittergent-3–14) as a portion of the eluent. A zwitterionic micellar eluent showed high ability for solubilization of proteins, and, hence, the protein-containing samples could be analyzed without need for deproteinization. On the other hand, the zwitterionic micelle was insensitive to conductivity but interacted with the analyte ions, due mainly to its unique configuration of charges (namely, the zwitterionic micelle containing both positively and negatively charged groups but carrying no net charge). Using a zwitterionic micellar eluent, the analyte ions could be detected selectively and sensitively, and moreover, the selectivity for the analyte ions was unique. A conventional anion-exchange column conditioned with a Zwittergent-3-14 micellar eluent was applied for the analysis of real biological samples (serum and urine) with direct sample injection. The results of the successful detection of inorganic anions (Cl^–, SO₄ ^2–, NO₂ ^–, Br^–, and NO₃ ^–) have demonstrated the usefulness of this new IC approach for the analysis of biological samples.