US 2002/0162804 A1 · Suppressed chromatography and salt conversion system

Abstract

Method and apparatus for suppressed ion analysis in which a sample solution of analyte (e.g., anion) in an eluent of electrolyte counterions (e.g., sodium), is chromatographically separated. Then, the counterions are suppressed in a suppression zone and removed and used to convert the analyte ions to salt form in a salt-converting zone. The suppression and salt-converting zones may be contiguous or remote, and may be performed in devices of the membrane suppresser type. Thereafter, the salts or acids or bases formed from them (e.g., in membrane suppressor devices) are detected. Also, salt conversion can be performed using two ion exchange packed bed salt convertors in which one bed is on-line while the other is regenerated, followed by a reversal of flow.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A method for suppressed ion analysis of a plurality of different analyte ions in a sample solution, each of said analyte ions being of a common charge, positive or negative, said method comprising:

(a) eluting said sample solution with an eluent, comprising electrolyte counterions of opposite charge to said analyte ions, through a separating medium effective to separate said analyte ions to form a separating medium effluent stream,
(b) flowing said separating medium effluent stream through a suppression zone in which electrolyte counterions are removed to convert said electrolyte to weakly ionized form to form a suppressor sample effluent stream, and
(c) converting said analyte ions in said suppressor sample effluent stream into salts in a salt-forming zone by reaction with salt-forming ions of opposite charge comprising said removed electrolyte counterions to form an analyte salt stream.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Suppressed chromatography and salt conversion system

Life of this patent

Suppressed chromatography and salt conversion system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34