Ion interaction chromatography of nitrilotriacetatocomplexes of the rare earth elements with post-column reaction detection

The chromatographic behaviour of nitrilotriacetatocomplexes of the rare earth elements (Sc, Y and lanthanides) on a reversed phase ODS column has been investigated in the presence of 1-octane-sulphonate. There is a great difference in selectivity for the ODS among the rare earth nitrilotriacetato-complexes. Concentration gradient elution with nitrilotriacetic acid (0.005-0.050M, pH 3.0) that contains 0.01M 1-octanesulphonate allows the rare earth elements to be separated from each other within 30 min at room temperature, except a Gd-Eu pair which is eluted together. Yttrium elutes at about 10 min between samarium and neodymium. Detection and quantitation of the rare earth elements can be achieved by post-column reaction with Chlorophosphonazo III in acid media at 700 nm.