UV visualization of inorganic anions by reversed-phase ion-interaction chromatography: factors that control sensitivity and detection

This paper describes a chromatographic technique and detection scheme for inorganic anion analysis. Factors that affect sensitivity and detection are discussed, including the concentration and molar absorptivity of the ion-interaction reagent (IIR) as well as the retention of the eluite ion relative to the retention of the system peak. An ideal system will employ a low IIR concentration, so that a detection wavelength corresponding to a high IIR molar absorptivity can be used to monitor the eluites. In addition, eluites that are eluted before the system peak have much lower response factors than those eluted after the system peak. Furthermore, eluites that are not well separated from the system peak have response factors that are many times larger than eluites that are eluted either before or after the system peak. Computer simulations were performed that predict these response factors.