Ion Interaction Chromatographic Separation of Amino Acids Using a Basic-Tetraalkylammonium Salt Mobile Phase

Abstract

A basic mobile phase containing a tetraalkylammonium (R₄N⁺) salt was used to enhance the retention of free amino acids (AA) in their anion form on a polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymeric (Hamilton PRP-1) nonpolar stationary phase adsorbent. Major variables, which can be readily manipulated to alter this retention and resolve complex AA mixtures, are: structure and concentration of R₄N⁺ salt, type and amount of organic modifier in the mobile phase solvent, concentration and selectivity of the counteranion present, and mobile phase pH and ionic strength. Mobile phase gradients based on a pH change, or an ionic strength change and their combination, while all other variables are constant, were evaluated for the separation of complex AA mixtures. Detection was accomplished by absorbance or fluorescence after a post-column ortho-phthalaldehyde reaction.