Rapid determination of bromide in seawater samples by capillary ion chromatography using monolithic silica columns modified with cetyltrimethylammonium ion

Monolithic silica capillary columns dynamically modified with quaternary ammonium ions were evaluated for the determination of bromide in seawater samples. A quaternary ammonium ion such as cetyltrimethylammonium ion was dynamically introduced onto monolithic 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 monolithic silica capillary columns could be used for rapid separation of inorganic anions. Separation of authentic mixture of five anions was achieved within a few minutes. The addition of small amount of the modifier in the eluent improved the repeatability of the retention time. Seawater samples could be directly injected onto the prepared capillary columns, and bromide could be determined to be 63 mg/L.     

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.     

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.     

Ultra-short columns for low-pressure ion chromatography.

Since the development of low-pressure ion chromatography (LPIC), many inorganic cations and anions as well as organic acids could be analyzed at a low-pressure of 1.96 x 10(5)-2.94 x 10(5) Pa. And the ultra-short columns took the place of the common long chromatographic columns. Furthermore, the ultra-short columns of LPIC not only reduced the system pressure appreciably, but also achieved high sensitivity and precision. In order to assess the characteristics of the super-short columns, much analysis, i.e., the analysis of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition-metals, rare-earth elements, inorganic anions and organic acids as well as the common amino acids, were conducted. Moreover, excellent results were obtained from the LPIC columns.     

Stability of surfactant coated columns for ion chromatography

Ionic surfactant coatings are a popular means to convert reversed-phase columns into ion-exchange phases with adjustable ion-exchange capacity and selectivity. However, the perceived lack of stability of surfactant coatings has hindered their use for routine separations. Coating conditions (acetonitrile content, ionic strength, surfactant concentration and temperature) were varied to determine their effect on coating stability. Under all coating conditions, cetyltrimethylammonium (CTAB) coated columns exhibited an initial decrease in ion retention. However, after the initial 1 L flush, both retention times and efficiency remained stable for >or=3000 column volumes. Greatest column stability and control of column capacity are achieved if the surfactant in the coating solution is below its critical micelle concentration.     

Preparation of monolithic silica columns for high-performance liquid chromatography

Preparation methods of monolithic silica columns for HPLC including the surface modification were reviewed. Chemical modification methods recently reported to obtain stationary phases for reversed-phase (RP), chiral, ion-exchange, and hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) separations were discussed. Recent results related to preparation methods of monolithic silica were also covered. The characteristics and properties of silica monoliths and some applications of monolithic silica columns for different analytical and bioanalytical fields will be commented.     

Monolithic silica rod columns for high-efficiency reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Chromatographic properties of a new type of monolithic silica rod columns were examined. Silica rod columns employed for the study were prepared from tetramethoxysilane, modified with octadecylsilyl moieties, and encased in a stainless-steel protective column with two polymer layers between the silica and the stainless-steel tubing. A 25 cm column provided up to 45,000 theoretical plates for aromatic hydrocarbons, or a minimum plate height of about 5.5 μm, at optimum linear velocity of ca. 2.3 mm/s and back pressure of 7.5 MPa in an acetonitrile-water (80/20, v/v) mobile phase at 40°C. The permeability of the column was similar to that of a column packed with 5 μm particles, with K(F) about 2.4×10(-14) m(2) (based on the superficial linear velocity of the mobile phase), while the plate height value equivalent to that of a column packed with 2.5 μm particles. Generation of 80,000-120,000 theoretical plates was feasible with back pressure below 30 MPa by employing two or three 25 cm columns connected in series. The use of the long columns enabled facile generation of large numbers of theoretical plates in comparison with conventional monolithic silica columns or particulate columns. Kinetic plot analysis indicates that the monolithic columns operated at 30 MPa can provide faster separations than a column packed with totally porous 3-μm particles operated at 40 MPa in a range where the number of theoretical plates (N) is greater than 50,000.     

Hydrophilic interaction chromatography using amino and silica columns for the determination of polar pharmaceuticals and impurities

Hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) is described as a useful alternative to reversed-phase chromatography for applications involving polar compounds. In the HILIC mode, an aqueous-organic mobile phase is used with a polar stationary phase to provide normal-phase retention behavior. Silica and amino columns with aqueous-acetonitrile mobile phases offer potential for use in the HILIC mode. An examination of the retention and separation of several pyrimidines, purines, and amides on silica and amino columns from three manufacturers revealed that mobile phases should contain a buffer or acid for pH control to achieve similar and reproducible results among columns from different sources. Amino columns may also be used in an anion-exchange mode, which provides an advantage for some applications. In some cases, silica can provide different selectivity and better separation than an amino column. Example applications include: low-molecular-mass organic acids and amides as impurities in non-polar drug substances, 5-fluorouracil in 5-fluorocytosine, guanine in acyclovir, and different selectivity for polar basic compounds compared to an ion-pairing system.     

Metal species determination by ion chromatography

Liquid chromatography has become one of the main powerful analytical tools for the analysis of complex matrices and speciation studies in the field of metal analysis. The basic principles, retention mechanisms, materials and method evolutions are discussed with particular reference to ion chromatography. Classical and more recent applications are presented.     

Pore structural characterization of monolithic silica columns by inverse size-exclusion chromatography

In this work, a parallel pore model (PPM) and a pore network model (PNM) are developed to provide a state-of-art method for the calculation of several characteristic pore structural parameters from inverse size-exclusion chromatography (ISEC) experiments. The proposed PPM and PNM could be applicable to both monoliths and columns packed with porous particles. The PPM and PNM proposed in this work are able to predict the existence of the second inflection point in the experimental exclusion curve that has been observed for monolithic materials by accounting for volume partitioning of the polymer standards in the macropores of the column. The appearance and prominence of the second inflection point in the exclusion curve is determined to depend strongly on the void fraction of the macropores (flow-through pores), (b) the nominal diameter of the macropores, and (c) the radius of gyration of the largest polymer standard employed in the determination of the experimental ISEC exclusion curve. The conditions that dictate the appearance and prominence of the second inflection point in the exclusion curve are presented. The proposed models are applied to experimentally measured ISEC exclusion curves of six silica monoliths having different macropore and mesopore diameters. The PPM and PNM proposed in this work are able to determine the void fractions of the macropores and silica skeleton, the pore connectivity of the mesopores, as well as the pore number distribution (PND) and pore volume distribution (PVD) of the mesopores. The results indicate that the mesoporous structure of all materials studied is well connected as evidenced by the similarities between the PVDs calculated with the PPM and the PNM, and by the high pore connectivity values obtained from the PNM. Due to the fact that the proposed models can predict the existence of the second inflection point in the exclusion curves, the proposed models could be more applicable than other models for ISEC characterization of chromatographic columns with small diameter macropores (interstitial pores) and/or large macropore (interstitial pore) void fractions. It should be noted that the PNM can always be applied without the use of the PPM, since the PPM is an idealization that considers an infinitely connected porous medium and for materials having a low (<6) pore connectivity the PPM would force the PVD to a lower average diameter and larger distribution width as opposed to properly accounting for the network effects present in the real porous medium.     

Narrow bore silica capillary columns for liquid-modified adsorption gas chromatography

Summary The preparation of narrow bore capillary columns for liquid-modified adsorption chromatography is described, and the advantages of this technique for rapid analysis of complex mixtures are discussed.Several applications to the analysis of complex mixtures are reported, and the possibility of on-column injection is demonstrated.     

Conditions for sulfite stabilization and determination by ion chromatography

The efficiencies of three groups of potential sulfite-stabilizing compounds were found to be in the order: carbonyls > alcohols = saccharides. A mole ratio of 1:1 between formaldehyde and sulfite was sufficient for stabilizing a sulfite solution for at least 72 h. The lower stabilizing efficiencies of the alcohols and saccharides examined could be compensated by using large excesses of these compounds. For example, if a 100-fold excess of glycerol over sulfite was used, the recovery of sulfite was 96% after 72 h compared with only 40% without addition of stabilizer. During separations by ion chromatography, almost no oxidation of the sample occurs provided the sample solution is directly injected into a deaerated eluent. For formaldehyde, the peak heights were found to depend on the molar ratio of the stabilizer to sulfite as well as on the concentration of sulfite. This effect was not found for the other stabilizers tested.     

Fused silica capillary micro-packed columns in gas chromatography

Summary Flexibility, strength and adsorption inertness of fused-silica capillaries permits their extensive application for the preparation of micro-packed columns in gas chromatography. Decreasing the column diameter (from 0.5 to 0.15 mm) and the diameter of the sorbent particles (from 100 to 5 μm) results in a marked reduction of the height equivalent to a theoretical plate (HETP), as well as in diminishing the dependence of the HETP on the carrier gas flow rate. The chromatographic characteristics of fused-silica capillary micro-packed columns and open-tubular columns are compared. The fused-silica capillary micro-packed column can be used to advantage for performing rapid and trace analyses and have been shown to be adapted for application in gas-solid chromatography. Separation of organic and inorganic compounds on fused-silica capillary micro-packed columns is illustrated by practical examples. Presented at the 15th International Symposium on Chromatography, Nürnberg, October 1984     

Developments in ion chromatography using monolithic columns

The focus of this review is on current status and on-going developments in ion chromatography (IC) using monolithic phases. The use and potential of both silica and polymeric monoliths in IC is discussed, with silica monoliths achieving efficiencies upwards of 10(5) plates/m for inorganic ions in a few minutes or less. Ion exchange capacity can be introduced onto the monolithic columns through the addition of ion interaction reagents to the eluent, coating of the monolith with ionic surfactants or polyelectrolyte latexes, and covalent bonding. The majority of the studies to date have used surfactant-coated columns, but the stability of surfactant coatings limits this approach. Applications of monolithic IC columns to the separation of inorganic anions and cations are tabulated. Finally, a discussion on the recent commercialization of monolithic IC columns and the use of monolithic phases for IC peripherals such as preconcentrator columns, microextractors and suppressors is presented.     

Semi-micro-monolithic columns using macroporous silica rods with improved performance

Monolithic silica columns in semi-micro-format have been synthesized using poly(acrylic acid) as a phase-separation inducer via a sol–gel route. The absence of a thick skin layer accompanied by deformation of the micrometer-sized gelling skeletons on the outermost part of the macroporous silica rod contributed to improve the efficiency of monolithic silica columns as thick as 2.4 mm in diameter. The kinetic plot analysis revealed that monolithic silica columns with macropore diameter of 1 μm and skeleton thickness of 1 μm with decreased macroporosity behave similarly to columns packed with 3 μm particles with slightly lower back pressure.     

Enzyme activity determination by radio gas chromatography on capillary columns

Androgen 5α-reductase from the foreskin of 48 boys in prepubertal age was analyzed by evaluation of the apparent K_m-and V_max- values after tissue incubation. Reaction rates were calculated after determination of specific radioactivity of distinct metabolites, by comparison to the radioactivity of the precursor. Reaction products were separated by radio gas chromatography on capillary columns. The chromatography system was based on multicolumn equipment with column switching facilities and a variable splitter at the outlet of the separation column. A radioactivity monitor (gas proportional counter) was used for measurement of radioactivity in the column effluents. An electron capture detector was used for mass detection of steroid acyl derivatives.     

Fast ion chromatography using short anion exchange columns

A fast ion chromatographic system is described which uses shorter column lengths and compares various eluent profiles in order to maximise the performance without sacrificing the chromatographic resolution. Both isocratic and gradient elution profiles were considered to find the most efficient mode of separation. The separation and determination of seven target anions (chloride, chlorate, nitrate, chromate, sulfate, thiocyanate and perchlorate) was achieved using a short (4 mm ID, 50 mm long) column packed with Dionex AS20 high-capacity anion exchange material. A hydroxide eluent was used at an initial concentration of 25 mM (at a flow-rate of 1.0 mL/min) and two performance maxima were found. The maximum efficiency occurred at a normalised gradient ramp rate of 5 mM/t₀, resulting in a peak capacity of 16, while the fastest separation (<3 min) occurred at a normalised ramp rate of 30 mM/t₀. The retention time, peak width and resolution using the different eluent profiles on varying column lengths is also compared. Further investigations in this study determined that the highest peak capacity separation under gradient conditions could be approximated using an isocratic separation. The advantage of using this novel approach to approximate the maximum efficiency separation removes the need for column re-equilibration that is required for gradient elution resulting in faster analyses and enhanced sample throughput, with benefits in particular for multidimensional chromatography.