Separation and characterization of aluminium malate species by ion chromatography

Aluminium malate complexes have a high relevance in biological systems. The anionic species present in an aqueous aluminium malate mixture can be investigated by ion chromatography coupled online with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. As malic acid is a chiral ligand, the experiments were carried out using the racemic and the enantiopure forms. In both systems four anionic complexes are observable in the model solutions. One of two crystallized and well-characterized anions, [Al(4)Malate(6)](6-) and [Al(4)Malate(4)](2-), serves as a reference anion for the assignment of one of the species occurring in the model solutions. The main species in the enantiopure aluminium malate model with biological relevance over a wide pH range is the [Al(4)Malate(4)](2-) anion. The [Al(4)Malate(6)](6-) anion is not present in the racemic model solution. This anion suffers complete species disintegration after dissolution. The kinetics of the decay is first order and the activation energy of the decomposition is 74 kJ/mol. A retention model for ion chromatography was used for the determination of the effective charges of the species. The effective charge obtained by the retention model was calibrated in relation to nominal charges of the anions by using several well-defined and differently charged anions and anionic aluminium species.