A two-membrane electrodialytic carbonate eluent generator for ion chromatography

A two-membrane electrodialytic carbonate eluent generator (EDG) for ion chromatography (IC) is described. It is in a sandwich-like configuration, in which the central eluent channel is spatially isolated from two outer regenerant channels by stacked cation exchange membranes (CEMs) and anion exchange membranes (AEMs). A platinum screen electrode is placed in each of two outer regenerant channels. The electrode at the CEMs side is set as an anode with respect to the electrode at the AEMs side being cathode. Potassium carbonate and/or bicarbonate solution is pumped into the regenerant channel as feed solution. The electromigration of carbonate and/or bicarbonate and potassium from feed solution respectively through AEMs and CEMs will form a gas-free eluent. With this configuration, ion transport behavior through AEMs was explored. The device demonstrated good reproducibility, as indicated by the relative standard deviation of retention time of less than 0.08%.