Eluent Selection Criteria for the Simultaneous Determination of Anions and Cations

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The simultaneous determination of cations and anions in one sample injection has the potential to increase the efficiency of a laboratory engaged in ion chromatographic analyses. The general considerations in choosing an eluent for simultaneous cation and anion determinations are to choose an eluent with a reasonable chance of success based upon the use of a similar eluent in the literature, to choose an eluent that can be prepared with the minimal addition of extraneous ions, and to choose an eluent that will minimize the chances of eluent-analyte interactions which would be detrimental to the analytical results. Example eluents include lithium hydrogen phthalate for the determination of alkali metal cations and inorganic ions, lithium carbonate for the determination of alkali metal cations plus the ammonium ion, lead phthalate for alkaline earth cations and inorganic ions, and a citric acid-oxalic acid eluent for the determination of transition metal ions and inorganic anions. Example chromatograms that illustrate some of the potential problems are provided. These include eluent-analyte interactions, pH of the eluent, and the eluent system peaks which may result. The discussion can help to alleviate these problems.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: