Anion chromatography using on-line recycled eluents

Non-suppressed anion chromatography, using on-line recycled eluents, was investigated. Cations and anions from samples were excluded from the eluents using a mixture of strongly acidic cation-exchange resins and strongly basic anion exchange resins in the eluent reservoir. This exclusion was performed after determination of the anions in the non-suppressed anion chromatography, and the eluents were then recycled on-line. The performance of consecutive determinations was evaluated from the relative standard deviation (RSD) of peak heights and retention times of chloride, bromide, nitrite, nitrate, and sulfate ions, with a concentration of 3 microg ml(-1) each, compared to that of normal anion chromatography. Over 50 consecutive determinations could be achieved with an eluent volume of only 200 ml for a 100 microl sample volume. Almost all the RSD values for retention time, and peak heights of these anions, were smaller than 3%. Over fifty consecutive determinations of chloride, nitrate, and sulfate ions in a river water sample could be achieved with an eluent volume of only 100 ml. All the RSD values for retention time and peak heights of these anions were smaller than 3%. The eluent volume could be decreased to one tenth of that used in normal anion chromatography. The performance of the anion chromatography, using on-line recycled eluents, was the same as that for normal anion chromatography under the same conditions.