A simplified ion exchange bead-based KOH electrodialytic generator for capillary ion chromatography

A simple potassium hydroxide electrodialytic generator (EDG) with singe membrane configuration is described. In this setup, one cation exchange resin (CER) bead is used to fabricate the EDG in place of the common membrane sheet. The device is implemented simply in a commercial stainless steel (SS) Tee which serves as both the EDG cartridge and the cathodic electrode. The present EDG has much lower internal volume (∼0.16 (L), which is well suited with capillary ion chromatography system. The device has been tested up pressures to 3200 psi and could be directly deployed on the high-pressure side of the pump. The electrolysis gas can be effectively removed by a segment of PTFE tubing. In the tested range of 0-100 mM, the KOH concentration is generated linearly with the applied current being near-Faradaic efficiency. The device permits both isocratic and gradient operation with good reproducibility, as demonstrated by the analysis of anions.     

A multifunctional dual membrane electrodialytic eluent generator for capillary ion chromatography

A multifunctional electrodialytic generator (EDG) for capillary ion chromatography (CIC) is described. The same device can generate acidic, basic or saline eluents. Two oppositely charged ion exchange beads are used to fabricate the EDG; the dual ion exchanger configuration ensures the production of gas-free eluent, obviating the need of a gas removal device used with single ion exchanger EDG's. The ability of the same EDG to produce different eluents is governed solely by the choice of the respective feed solutions; this is presently demonstrated by generation of diverse eluents such as Na₂CO₃/NaHCO₃, CH₃SO₃H, and KNO₃. The EDG is implemented simply in a commercial cross fitting and has been tested up pressures to 2000 psi. Under typical operating conditions, the zero current concentration (open circuit penetration, OCP) is negligible. The generated eluent concentration linearly increases with applied current with a slope that is essentially Faradaic. The device permits both isocratic and gradient operation with good reproducibility, as demonstrated by the analysis of anions using HCO₃⁻/CO₃²⁻ EDG.     

Electrochemically generated multifunctional suppressor for ion chromatography

Summary A multifunctional suppressor for both anion and cation chromatography has been designed. The suppressor comprises five thin chambers—an anion eluent suppressive chamber, a cation eluent suppressive chamber, a cathode chamber, an anode chamber, and a common electrode chamber, all of which are clipped together. An electrochemical process—electrolysis of deionized water or detector effluent—is used to regenerate the suppressor for continuous operation. Two power sources are used to supply current. The device can work as an anion suppressor, a cation suppressor, or as both anion and cation suppressors, with high suppression capacity (60 mmol L⁻¹) and good reproducibility (RSD=0.80–0.91%) and linearity (r=0.9992).     

离子色谱的抑制及相关技术的发展

对于抑制型(双柱型)离子色谱系统,抑制系统是极为重要的一个组成部分,也是离子色谱有别于其它类型的液相色谱的最重要特点之一。抑制器的发展经历了多个发展时期,而目前商品化的离子色谱仪亦分别采用不同形式的抑制手段。近年来,还发展了一些特殊的辅助抑制器,接在抑制器的后面的CO2除去装置,都用于提高被测离子的信号或进一步降低背景电导值。     

A four-electrode microconstant direct current resistance detector for ion chromatography applying ion-exchange membrane and porous electrode

A four-electrode microconstant direct current resistance detector for ion chromatography not sensitive to the effects of electrode polarization, capacitance, and electrolysis by-products is proposed. A constant current of microampere magnitude is applied across the current electrodes of the four-electrode device, and the voltage responses between the detection probes are directly picked up by a high input impedance instrumentation amplifier. The ion-exchange membranes, which separate the detection chamber from the electrolysis chambers, enable the measurement of solution resistance free of the interference of electrolysis by-products. Two resin beds in the detection chamber serve as ion conductors while reduce the dead volume of the detector. Recycled detection effluent supplies water for the electrolysis reactions at the current electrodes to sustain constant current in solution. The porous detection probes provide microchannel for the flowing solution while indicating signals. Owing to the constant current excitation, the electronics setup becomes simple. The cell configuration, operating principle, electronics, and error analysis of this detection mode are discussed along with their use for suppressed anion chromatography. Experimental data show that this four-electrode direct current detection mode is comparable to conventional two-electrode alternating current method.     

离子色谱电渗析技术的研究进展

电渗析器件通常定义为在电场作用下操纵离子从一种溶液穿过离子交换膜迁移到另外一种溶液的一种设备。它可以通过电解水产生氢离子或氢氧根离子,从而用于离子色谱系统的淋洗液在线制备、抑制或检测。相较于人工配制淋洗液或再生液,电渗析技术具有绿色、高效、纯度高、自动化程度高等优势。因此基于电渗析器件的离子色谱系统应用范围越来越大。该文简要评述了近几年该器件的研究进展,具体包括电致淋洗液发生器、电致膜抑制器和电渗析样品前处理器。     

Halogenated compound response in an oxygen doped ion mobility detector for capillary gas chromatography

An ion mobility detector that has been specifically developed for interfacing with capillary gas chromatography is investigated in the negative ion mode. Like the electron capture detector, to which this instrument is closely related, the ion mobility detector shows an enhanced response to low molecular weight halogenated compounds when a small quantity of oxygen is doped into the make-up gas flow. Under O₂ doping conditions, the device can operate in a reactant ion monitoring mode responding universally to compounds capable of capturing thermal electrons and in a tunable selective product ion mode providing increased selectivity over that achieved by the ECD. At an oxygen concentration of 0.5%, minimum detectable amounts as low as 600 femtograms have been realized for carbon tetrachloride. Selectivity of chloro- versus bromo- compounds is demonstrated using a mixture of p-dichlorobenzene and p-dibromobenzene.     

Theoretical models for electrodialytic sample treatment in trace analysis by liquid chromatography

Summary Basic considerations for analyte enrichment and recovery obtainable by electrodialysis as a sample treatment method are given. Equations are derived which describe the dependence of the concentration profiles of ionic compounds on the electric field strength in a set-up with stagnant donor and acceptor solutions. It is shown that analyte recovery increases when less ion-selective membranes are used in the electrodialysis cell. Computer models are used to estimate the analyte enrichment for a flowing donor (sample) and a stagnant acceptor phase. About 10-fold enrichment can be obtained in an electrodialytic sample treatment system within 20 min under maximum current conditions. A compromise has to be found between analyte recovery and the donor (sample) flow rate.     

高效阴离子交换色谱积分脉冲安培检测法分析注射液中的氨基酸

建立了高效阴离子交换色谱积分脉冲安培检测器同时分离并测定注射液中18种常见氨基酸、氨基己酸和牛磺酸含量的方法. 注射液用20 mg/L的NaN3溶液稀释1000倍, 经0.22 μm尼龙膜过滤后直接进样分析. 以一定浓度的NaOH和NaAc溶液为淋洗液, 选择合适的梯度淋洗条件, 20种氨基酸在AminoPac PA10阴离子交换色谱柱上在30min内很好地分离, 并用脉冲安培检测器进行了测定. 氨基酸的检出限在0.14～3.81 pmol (25 μL进样, 峰面积定量).     

A cation exchange resin bead-based microscale electrolytic suppressor for capillary ion chromatography

A cation exchange resin (CER) bead-based microscale electrolytic suppressor for capillary ion chromatography (CIC) has been fabricated and evaluated. Relative to common ion exchange membrane, the use of CER beads presents a simple way to fabricate a microscale suppressor due to its small surface area and spherical shape. The internal volume of the device is ∼600 nL, which matches the requirements by CIC. Continuous online regeneration is readily achieved using pure water or diluted sulfuric acid as the regenerant. The use of a cation exchange functionalized monolithic segment inserted between two CER beads greatly reduces the electrical resistance and improves the suppression efficiency. The device works well only in the electrolytic mode, chemical regeneration alone is ineffective. The suppressed background is ∼3 μS/cm for 10 mM KOH eluent generated online by a microscale KOH electrolytic generator operated at the flow rate of 3 μL/min. The preliminary application for capillary ion chromatography has been demonstrated.     

Determination of uric acid in human urine by ion chromatography with conductivity detector

A simple,fast,precise and eco-friendly analytical method for the determination of uric acid(UA) in human urine by ion chromatography(IC) was established.The sample pretreatment was not required,only needed centrifugation and filtration.The separation was carried out on a cation exchange column with 2.0 mmol/L nitric acid as mobile phase at the flow-rate 1.0 mL/min.A non-suppressed conductivity detector was used.The IC analysis time for one run was within 10 min under the optimized IC condition.The detection limits were 0.5μg/L(S/N = 3) for uric acid.The recovery was 100.1%while the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 1.8%from 10 measurements.     

柱切换离子色谱法测定丙酮中痕量阴离子

建立了测定丙酮中痕量阴离子的离子色谱分析方法.采用的是高效液相柱切换进样,其中泵的流速为0.5 mL/min,使低浓度的丙酮水溶液在保护柱上富集,通过离子色谱抑制电导法分离和检测丙酮样品中痕量的阴离子.色谱条件为:以IonPacAG9-HC(50 mm×2 mm)型柱串联在定量环中进行富集,IonPacAG9-HC(50 mm×2 mm)保护柱,IonPac AS9-HC(250 mm×2 mm)阴离子分离柱进行分离,流动相为9 mmol/L Na2CO3-1.667 mol/L NaHCO3,所得回收率在96.21%～101.56%之间,线性良好,且具有较好的重现性和较低的检出限.     

Determination of inorganic anions in ethyl acetate by in-line hollow fiber membrane extraction with ion chromatography

In this work,a novel hollow fiber membrane extractor was set up to extract inorganic anions from ethyl acetate using deionized water.Inorganic anions in slightly soluble organic solvents can be determined by the in-line hollow fiber membrane extractor coupled with ion chromatography at first time.Different aspects of the extraction procedure such as magnetic stirring speed, extraction flow rate and extraction time were optimized to achieve high extraction efficiency and good separation results. Satisfact...     

Novel criteria for fast searching for optimal method in gradient ion chromatography: an integrated approach

In this article, an integrated approach for prediction and optimization in ion chromatography (IC) was presented. The approach provides a fast and reliable insight in the elution behavior of an IC system. The predictions are based on a mathematical model that predicts ion retentions (for both isocratic and gradient modes) by using an empirical isocratic model. Other chromatographic values significant for the optimal elution conditions (resolution, peak asymmetry) are calculated quickly and easily from the predicted retention values of characteristic points of a chromatographic peak. Every day, IC users might find this approach a suitable tool for finding optimal IC elution conditions in a given system.     

On‐chip pressure generation using a gel membrane fabricated outside of the microfluidic network

On‐chip generation of pressure gradients via electrokinetic means can offer several advantages to microfluidic assay design and operation in a variety of applications. In this article, we describe a simple approach to realizing this capability by employing a polyacrylamide‐based gel structure fabricated within a fluid reservoir located at the terminating end of a microchannel. Application of an electric field across this membrane has been shown to block a majority of the electroosmotic flow generated within the open duct yielding a high pressure at the channel–membrane junction. Experiments show the realization of higher pressure‐driven velocities in an electric field‐free separation channel integrated to the micropump with this design compared to other similar micropumps described in the literature. In addition, the noted velocity was found to be less sensitive to the extent of Debye layer overlap in the channel network, and therefore more impressive when working with background electrolytes having higher ionic strengths. With the current system, pressure‐driven velocities up to 3.6 mm/s were realized in a 300‐nm‐deep separation channel applying a maximum voltage of 3 kV at a channel terminal. To demonstrate the separative performance of our device, a nanofluidic pressure‐driven ion‐chromatographic analysis was subsequently implemented that relied on the slower migration of cationic analytes relative to the neutral and anionic ones in the separation channel likely due to their strong electrostatic interaction with the channel surface charges. A mixture of amino acids was thus separated with resolutions greater than those reported by our group for a similar analysis previously.     

ODS phases for ion chromatography

Several ODS phases have been dynamically modified to act as ion exchangers. Their ability to separate inorganic ions has been evaluated. The different properties of these materials are demonstrated and a method for eliminating the appearance of the system peak is described.     

An experimental verification of the electrostatic theory for ion pair chromatography

Summary The purpose of this paper is to present experimental results in order to test the electrostatic theory. The experimental results for a number of different analytes and amphiphilic modifiers are compared with the theory. It is found that the experimental results are in good agreement with the predictions from the electrostatic theory.     

Improved determination of taurine by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-IPAD)

The advantages of the high selectivity of high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) and the sensitive response of taurine at a gold electrode with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) have been combined, in order to establish a new analytical method for its determination in real matrices. Potential-time settings of the potential waveform were optimized in order to get the highest amperometric response. The separation of taurine in milk samples was achieved using an alkaline eluent (100 mM NaOH) containing 1 mM Ba(OAc)₂ and a column temperature of 15 °C. The inherent merits of using a barium-modified eluent, in terms of taurine separation and detection, are demonstrated. The enhancement in sensitivity under these experimental conditions makes it suitable for taurine determination in milk. Indeed, this method allows high recovery of taurine and satisfies the necessary requirements with respect to accuracy, repeatability and sensitivity with a detection limit of 50 nmol/L, which corresponds to 2.5 pmol. The taurine content in milk samples of some common mammals was evaluated, including human milk. In goats milk, the taurine content ranged from 46 to 91 mg/L, whereas human and buffalo milk samples exhibited an average content of 18 mg/L and 23 mg/L, respectively.     

Simultaneous determination of bromide and nitrate in contaminated waters by ion chromatography using amperometry and absorbance detectors

This study describes a new ion chromatography method using a low-capacity anion exchange column with amperometric and absorbance detection for rapid and simultaneous determination of Br⁻ and NO₃⁻ in contaminated waters where one of these ions is present in excess compared to other. The use of two detectors overcomes the problem of baseline separation for Br⁻ and NO₃⁻ for accurate quantification, which was commonly encountered when using a low-capacity anion exchange column and suppressed conductivity detection mode. The method achieved accurate quantification of these two ions without requirement of baseline separation. The accuracy of 2.8% for NO₃⁻ was determined using a quality control sample obtained from UN GEMS/Water PE Study No. 6. The detection limits for Br⁻ and NO₃⁻ were 20 and 6 μg l⁻¹ (25 μl sample), respectively. Linearity of these two ions was over three orders of magnitude with a correlation coefficient >0.998. The influence of potential interfering ions was also studied followed by the determination of Br⁻ and NO₃⁻ in seawater, unsaturated zone water, soil extract and groundwater.     

Evaluation of an ion mobility detector for supercritical fluid chromatography with solvent-modified carbon dioxide mobile phases

Summary An ion mobility detector (IMD) was evaluated for open tubular column supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) when organic solvent-modified supercritical CO₂ was used as mobile phase. It was found that the SFC/IMD interface design in which the SFC capillaray restrictor was directly inserted into the ionization region of the IMD was not acceptable because of low sensitivity that resulted from the effect of the modifier on detector temperature and mechanism of detection. A new interface utilizing a heated nebulizer gas to provide heat to the restrictor and to minimize the formation of ion clusters, and a bent nozzle for enhancing the ionization efficiency of the solute in the IMD ion source are described. Using 5% acetonitrile in CO₂, the minimum detectable quantity (S/N=3) for pyrene was improved from 25.2 ng to 2.1 ng with the new detector design. This compares to a minimum detectable quantity of 0.1 ng when using neat CO₂ as mobile phase. The use of molecular connectivity calculations to predict the drift times of selected analytes is also successfully demonstrated.