Ion Chromatography (IC) is a commonly used analytical instrument for the separation and determination of ionic chemicals in solution. It is an analytical technology based on the principle of ion exchange, which is widely used in environmental monitoring, food safety, drug analysis and other fields.
The principle of ion chromatograph is based on ion exchange and chromatographic separation techniques. In the process of ion exchange, the ions in the sample react with the exchanger on the stationary phase, so that different ions in the sample can pass through the stationary phase at different speeds, so as to achieve ion separation. An ion chromatograph usually consists of a column, a detector, an injector and a mobile phase system.
Chromatographic columns are the core components of ion chromatographs, among which the most commonly used are anion exchange columns and cation exchange columns. Anion exchange columns are suitable for the separation and detection of anions, while cation exchange columns are suitable for the separation and detection of cations.
The detector of ion chromatograph mainly includes conductance detector and refractive index detector. The conductivity detector is the most commonly used detector, which uses the conductive effect of ions on the current in a solution to detect the presence and concentration of ions. The refractive index detector is based on the change of refractive index caused by ions in the solution to detect.
The sampler is used to introduce the sample to be tested into the chromatographic system. The automatic sampler is usually used to realize the automatic processing and continuous analysis of the sample. The mobile phase system provides the mobile phase needed for ion transport, usually using an ion exchange buffer solution or an ion exchange solution as the mobile phase.
Ion chromatographs are widely used. In environmental monitoring, ion chromatographs can be used to analyze ionic substances in water, atmosphere and soil, such as anions (chloride ions, nitrate ions, etc.) and cations (sodium ions, ammonium ions, etc.). In the field of food safety, ion chromatographs can be used to detect additives, contaminants and heavy metal ions in food. In drug analysis, ion chromatographs can be used to analyze impurities and ionic components in drugs.
In summary, an ion chromatograph is an important analytical instrument based on the principle of ion exchange by separating and determining ionic chemicals in a sample. Ion chromatographs play an important role in the fields of environmental monitoring, food safety and drug analysis, providing us with accurate and fast analytical results that help safeguard public health and environmental safety.