Studies on the combination of ion chromatography-particle-beam mass spectrometry with capillary columns

Capillary ion chromatography

This review summarizes progress in capillary ion chromatography. Theoretical aspects and practical limitations of packed and open tubular capillary columns are considered. Applications of packed and open tubular capillary IC are described. Emerging technologies such chip-scale IC and the use of monolithic columns are discussed.

Determination of trace perchlorate in high-salinity water samples by ion chromatography with on-line preconcentration and preelution

A simple, automated system for the determination of trace perchlorate by ion chromatography (IC) with an online preconcentration technique is reported. The sample is preconcentrated, and less strongly held ions preeluted before the analyte is transferred to the principal separation system. This approach provides low limits of detection (LOD) and is particularly robust toward the effect of high concentrations of common anions, such as those present in groundwater samples. It compares favorably with currently promulgated EPA method 314.0. The LOD (S/N = 3) is 0.77 microg/L for a 2-mL reagent water sample and decreases more-or-less proportionately with increasing sample volume, at least up to 20 mL. Even with a sample of conductivity 14.7 mS/cm (approximately that of 0.1 M Na2SO4), the recovery of added perchlorate at the 25.0 microg/L level was still 92%. The concentration of added perchlorate in the range of 1-400 microg/L was linearly correlated to the peak area, with an r2 value of 0.9997. The recovery of perchlorate from artificial samples with different conductivity by the present method compares favorably with those from the currently recommended EPA Method. The ability of this approach to remove matrix interferences suggests that it would be also promising for perchlorate analysis in other challenging samples.

Preconcentration of contaminants in water analysis

Among the environmental areas, in this review attention will be focused on water matrices and both on organic (e.g., pesticides, herbicides, phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), inorganic species and anion pollutants, since these kinds of substances include a wide number of compounds with different physical and chemical properties and different effects on human health. Analytical methods for control of quality of waters are required to be highly specific and possibly highly sensitive for the determination of even low amounts of pollutants. The main problems encountered during the analysis are the separation of matrix components from the pollutants of interest and the achievement of low detection limits. Therefore an overview on different materials and techniques available for sample concentration and/or matrix removal will be provided and discussed according to the chemical characteristics of the pollutant that has to be enriched.

Investigations on the behaviour of acidic, basic and neutral compounds in capillary electrochromatography on a mixed-mode stationary phase

This work describes the separation of acidic, basic and neutral organic compounds as well as inorganic anions in a single run by capillary electrochromatography employing a stationary phase which exhibits both strong anion-exchange and reversed-phase chromatographic characteristics. The positive surface charge of this stationary phase provided a substantial anodic electroosmotic flow. The analytes were separated by a mixed-mode mechanism which comprised chromatographic interactions (hydrophobic interactions, ion-exchange) as well as electrophoretic migration. The influence of ion-exchange and hydrophobic interactions on the retention/migration of the analytes could be manipulated by varying the concentration of a competing ion and/or the amount of organic modifier present in the background electrolyte. Additionally the effects of pH changes on both the chromatographic interactions as well as the electrophoretic migration of the analytes were investigated.

Use of ion chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry for the determination of ionic compounds in agricultural chemicals

This paper reports the use of ion chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry for the separation and structure elucidation of anionic compounds in a complex organophosphate matrix. Conventional HPLC with ion pairing reagents, pH adjustments or use of buffer solutions have limited compatibility with mass spectrometry, as the ion pairing reagents or buffers have to be volatile to be introduced into the mass spectrometer. The choice of volatile additives is limited, resulting in poor chromatography. This paper demonstrates the use of ion-exchange chromatography (IC) for the separation of ionic compounds, followed by mass spectrometry (MS) for the structure elucidation of unknowns. The anionic impurities are separated using an anion-exchange column with aqueous sodium hydroxide as the eluent. Electrospray in the negative ion mode is used to obtain the mass spectra. The elemental composition of an unknown component in the sample is determined by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The coupling of IC to MS provides a new analytical tool to chemists faced with the challenge of separating and analyzing ionic compounds in complex matrices.

Detection techniques in ion analysis: what are our choices?

Trends in detection techniques for ion analysis by ion-exchange chromatography and capillary zone electrophoresis are reviewed. Special attention is paid to conductivity, UV-Vis absorbance, amperometric and potentiometric detection, mass spectrometry (including inductively coupled plasma MS and atmospheric pressure ionization MS) and post-separation reaction detection. Applications reported within the last few years are summarized.

Advances in the determination of inorganic anions by ion chromatography

The time period covered for this review includes articles published from 1997 to 1999, with the addition of a few classic references. The purpose of the review is to include the most relevant works from each topic area of the determination of inorganic anions by ion chromatography, including new sample pretreatments, new separation methods, new detection systems and the latest applications in the field of environmental, water, foods, etc. samples. Experimental conditions such as stationary phase, eluent, detection mode, as well as matrix are summarized in a table.

Recent developments in microcolumn liquid chromatography

An overview of the most recent developments in microcolumn liquid chromatography (LC) is presented. A short theoretical discussion on chromatographic dilution and extracolumn bandbroadening is given and also the recent progress and advances in column technology and instrumentation are reviewed. However, the emphasis of this review is on miniaturized sample clean-up, sample introduction techniques and on both established and more recent detection techniques for microcolumn LC. The hyphenation of miniaturized LC columns with other techniques, specifically on multidimensional chromatography and the coupling of microcolumn LC to mass spectrometry is discussed in detail. Both the on-line and automated off-line interfacing to other separation and detection techniques will also be addressed. Finally, a number of typical microcolumn LC applications are presented in order to demonstrate the potential of microcolumn LC methods in a variety of scientific areas.

Combination of suppressed and non-suppressed ion chromatography with atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry for the determination of anions

Non-suppressed and suppressed ion chromatography in combination with atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry are compared with special respect to sensitivity for the analysis of low-molecular-mass anions. Iodate, bromate, bromide, sulfate, thiosulfate and bromide could be separated by non-suppressed ion chromatography using a low-capacity anion-exchange column and ammonium citrate as mobile phase. Absolute detection limits between 0.4 and 0.7 ng could be achieved; employing a column requiring a flow-rate of 1 ml/min for optimum performance, splitting was necessary so that only 120 microliters/min entered the interface of the mass spectrometer resulting in detection limits between 0.03 and 0.06 mg/l. The same stationary phase (packed into a narrow-bore column which allowed operation without splitting) was suitable for the separation of oxyhalides in the suppressed mode with detection limits of 0.5 microgram/l (50 pg) with sodium carbonate as eluent. The method was applied to the analysis of drinking water for oxyhalides. The sample pretreatment for the removal of matrix anions (sulfate, chloride and hydrogencarbonate) is described.