High-performance liquid chromatography using a color-forming agent as a component of the mobile phase. Separation and determination of nickel and zinc wity xylenol orange

Summary A liquid chromatographic procedure for separating nickel and zinc has been developed. Xylenol orange, which is one of the sensitive and commercially available color-forming agents, was used as a component of the mobile phase. The two ions could be separated on weak anion-exchange gels within 10 min. The procedure was suitable for the determination of nickel and zinc in relatively pure solutions with fairly high sensitivity. The described liquid chromatographic analysis would be also potentially applicable for any aqueous sample containing trace levels of metal cations at 1–10 ppm.