Analytical Sciences

Recent Progress and Applications of Ion-exclusion/Ion-exchange Chromatography for Simultaneous Determination of Inorganic Anions and Cations

Nobutake NAKATANI,* Daisuke KOZAKI,**,*** Masanobu MORI,*** and Kazuhiko TANAKA**

*Department of Environmental and Symbiotic Science, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Rakuno Gakuen University, 582 Bunkyodai-Midorimachi, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
**Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan
***Graduate School of Engineering, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515, Japan

One of the ultimate goals of ion chromatography is to determine both anions and cations found in samples with a single chromatographic run. In the present article, recent progress in ion-exclusion/ion-exchange chromatography for the simultaneous determinations of inorganic anions and cations are reviewed. Firstly, the principle and the control for the simultaneous separation and detection of analyte ions using ion-exclusion/cation-exchange chromatography with a weakly acidic cation-exchange column are outlined. Then, advanced chromatographic techniques in terms of analytical time, selectively and sensitivity are summarized. As a related method, ion-exclusion/anion-exchange chromatography with an anion-exchange column could be used for the simultaneous determination of inorganic nitrogen species, such as ammonium, nitrite and nitrate ions. Their usefulness and applications to water-quality monitoring and related techniques are also described.

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