Ion suppressor and ion chromatograph

#The present disclosure relates to an ion suppressor and an ion chromatograph.

#In ion chromatography, ions in a sample are detected and quantified by introducing the sample into a separation column to separate the ions, and then guiding an eluent from the separation column to an electric conductivity meter to measure the electric conductivity. In suppressor-type ion chromatograph, with a suppressor disposed between a separation column and an electric conductivity meter, the electric conductivity of an eluent is decreased by electrodialysis to allow high-sensitivity measurements.

#FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration example of an ion suppressor. The ion suppressor 201 includes two ion exchange membranes 241 and 243 between an anode 221 and a cathode 223. Regeneration liquid channel supports 231 and 233 are disposed respectively between the anode 221 and the ion exchange membrane 241 on the anode side and between the cathode 213 and the ion exchange membrane 243 on the cathode side. An eluent channel support 260 is disposed between the two ion exchange membranes 241 and 243. Openings 231a and 233a are provided in the surfaces of the regeneration liquid channel supports 231 and 233, respectively. The eluent channel support 260 is provided with an opening 260a. The openings 231a, 233a, and 260a provided in these supports are hollow, or made of a mesh material to allow passage of liquid.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of suppressor-type ion chromatograph.

#FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of an ion suppressor according to one embodiment.

#FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an ion suppressor according to one embodiment.

#DETAILED DESCRIPTION

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of suppressor-type ion chromatograph. A liquid feeding channel 5 provided with a liquid feeding pump 4 for supplying an eluent 9 is connected to a separation column 2. An injection unit 3 for injecting a sample to be analyzed is disposed in the middle of the liquid feeding channel 5. The sample injected into the separation column 2 is separated into respective ions in the separation column 2, and the eluent from the separation column 2 is guided to the eluent channel 76 of the ion suppressor 1 through a channel 6. The eluent which has an electric conductivity decreased due to the ion exchange in the ion suppressor 1 is guided from a channel 7 to an electric conductivity meter 8, and ions in the liquid are detected by the measurement of the electric conductivity. The eluent passing through the electric conductivity meter 8 is discharged to a channel 80. The channel 80 is divided into two channels, and the eluents from the channels 81 and 83 are, as regeneration liquids for regenerating the ion exchange membranes, introduced into the regeneration liquid channels 71 and 73 of the ion suppressor 1.

#FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of an ion suppressor according to one embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ion suppressor assembled. This ion suppressor 1 has the same configuration as the ion suppressor 201 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, except that the ion permeable membranes 51 and 53 are disposed respectively in contact with two ion exchange membranes 41 and 43.