[Ion-pair chromatography-indirect ultraviolet detection for determination of tetraethyl ammonium using a monolithic...

Two methods were developed for the determination of tetraethyl ammonium by ion-pair chromatography-indirect ultraviolet detection using a monolithic column and a packed column with ionic liquid as additive in mobile phase. Chromatographic separations were performed on a monolithic column and a packed column both on reversed phase using imidazolium ionic liquid aqueous solution-ion-pair reagent-organic solvent as mobile phase. The effects of the background ultraviolet absorption reagent, detection wavelength, ion-pair reagent, organic solvent, column temperature and flow rate on the determination of tetraethyl ammonium were investigated. The difference between the two chromatographic columns was compared and the retention rules were discussed. Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, for tetraethyl ammonium on monolithic column and packed column, the retention times were 2.40 and 3.02 min; the detection limits (S/N=3), 0.04 and 0.07 mg/L; the RSDs (n = 5) for peak areas, 0.16% and 0.11%; and the RSDs (n=5) for retention times, 0.02% and 0.01%, respectively. The two methods have been successfully applied to the determination of tetraethyl ammonium ionic liquids synthesized by laboratory. The recoveries of the tetraethyl ammonium after spiking were 98.2% and 99.1%, respectively. The two methods can meet the requirements for the quantitative analysis of tetraethyl ammonium.