Evaluation of different electrolyte systems and on-line preconcentrations for the analysis of haloacetic acids by capillary zone electrophoresis

The separation of various carboxylic acids was performed on a polymethacrylate-based weakly acidic cation-exchange resin (TSKgel OApak-A) using ion-exclusion chromatography under the acidic elution conditions. When a diluted sulfuric acid solution was used as the eluent, highly sensitive conductimetric detection of carboxylic acids was achieved without increasing the background conductance of the eluent. This method was more sensitive than using benzoic acid eluent and enabled a good resolution of dicarboxylic as well as monocarboxylic acids. The addition of 5–20% methanol to the eluent considerably reduced the retention times of carboxylic acids with hydrophobic nature.