Ion Chromatography (IC)

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Introduction

Ion chromatography (IC) is a specialized form of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) designed for the separation and detection of ionic species in solution, including inorganic and organic anions, cations, and polar molecules. Its main advantages include efficient ion separation, high-sensitivity detection, simultaneous multi-component analysis, automation, and high throughput. IC operates based on the principle of ion exchange, utilizing the interactions between the stationary phase (ion-exchange resin) and the mobile phase to achieve efficient separation of different ions. Additionally, it can distinguish between different oxidation states of the same element.

Advantages:

Rapid and convenient
High sensitivity
Good selectivity
Capable of simultaneous analysis of multiple ionic compounds
Good stability and high capacity of the separation column

Principle

The basic components of an ion chromatography system include:

Chromatographic column: Typically composed of ion-exchange resins or other specialized materials used for separating different ionic compounds.

Sample solution: The sample to be analyzed is usually dissolved in water or another solvent.

Detector: Used to detect the presence and concentration of ionic compounds.
The separation process in ion chromatography relies on the interaction characteristics of ions in the solution with the chromatographic packing material in the column. These interactions include ion exchange, affinity adsorption, exclusion effects, and more. By adjusting the column packing and operating conditions such as flow rate, temperature, and gradients, selective separation of different ions can be achieved.

Organic compounds can clog the chromatographic column.

The pretreatment methods are relatively complex; for specific procedures, please consult an engineer.

The conductivity of the sample should ideally be below 300 μS/cm.
If it is too high, dilution is required before testing, which may introduce some errors.

C₁₈ column: Used to remove hydrophobic compounds; not suitable for samples with excessively high or low pH.
RP column: Removes hydrophobic compounds, especially unsaturated and aromatic compounds; suitable for pH range 0–14.0.
H column: Removes alkaline earth metals, transition metal ions, and carbonate ions from the sample matrix; also used to neutralize strongly alkaline sample solutions.
Na column: Removes alkaline earth metals and transition metal ions from the sample matrix.
Ag column: Removes Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, AsO₄³⁻, CrO₄²⁻, CN⁻, MoO₄²⁻, PO₄³⁻, SeO₃²⁻, SO₃²⁻, SeCN⁻, S²⁻, SCN⁻, WO₄²⁻, and other ions.
Ba column: Removes SO₄²⁻; when the anion concentration in the sample is low, the column needs to be activated with a Cl⁻ solution.

application

In the detection of inorganic ions:

Drinking water quality analysis, food safety testing for products like beer and beverages
Compliance monitoring of wastewater discharge, quality control of industrial products including metallurgical process water
Petroleum industry samples, as well as the analysis of residual halide ions in the electronics industry.

In the detection of organic ions:

The analysis of biogenic amines (such as putrescine, histamine, and cadaverine) has become an important tool in forensic science and criminal investigations.
The detection of organic acids—including lactic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, isovaleric acid, malic acid, and citric acid—provides a simple and effective separation method in both microbial fermentation and the food industry.
For carbohydrate analysis, various methods have been developed for the determination of sugars such as glucose, lactose, xylose, arabinose, and sucrose, with particularly broad applications in the food industry.

Determination of lithium salt species in lithium battery electrolytes by ion chromatography.

Determination of lithium salt species in lithium battery electrolytes by ion chromatography.
A method was developed for the detection and quantification of five lithium salts in lithium battery electrolytes using ion chromatography with conductivity detection. After dilution and filtration through a 0.22 μm nylon membrane, a 25 μL sample was injected and separated using IonPac AG22 (4×50 mm) and IonPac AS22 (4×250 mm) columns at a column temperature of 35 °C. Isocratic elution was performed with a carbonate–acetonitrile mixture (70:30, v/v) as the eluent at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.
Under optimized conditions, the five target ions were well separated, showing good linearity (r > 0.9996). The relative standard deviations of retention time and peak area were less than 0.64% and 0.94%, respectively (n = 7). The limits of detection ranged from 0.068 to 0.29 mg/L (S/N = 3). The recoveries for spiked samples ranged from 91.49% to 108.99%.
This method is suitable for the determination of lithium salt species in lithium battery electrolytes, offering advantages such as simple operation, high sensitivity, and good reproducibility.

1. Aqueous solution

The sample should be a simple aqueous solution of ions.
If the composition is too complex, overlapping ion peaks may occur, making it impossible to accurately quantify the ion concentrations.

2. Testable ion species include: Br⁻, F⁻, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻, PO₄³⁻, formate, acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate, NH₄⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺.

CO₃²⁻, and HCO₃⁻ are measured using titration, and the sample volume should be greater than 50 mL.
For other ions, 10–15 mL of sample is sufficient for testing.
It is recommended that the concentration of the ions to be measured is within the ppm range.
Please indicate the concentration range when making an appointment.

3. For special samples or specific ion content testing requirements, please consult your account manager.

Regulatory testing

Environmental testing

Data analysis

Regulatory testing

Environmental testing

Data analysis

Sample Requirements

Application Case

Example Result

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Frequently Asked Questions

Variant (SKU)

Introduction

Introduction

Advantages:

Principle

Principle

application

Determination of lithium salt species in lithium battery electrolytes by ion chromatography.

Regulatory testing

Environmental testing

Data analysis

Regulatory testing

Environmental testing

Data analysis

Sample Requirements

Application Case

Example Result

What our customers are saying

Need precise analysis? Contact us – we'll help you choose the best solution for your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ion Chromatography (IC)

Variant (SKU)

Introduction

Introduction

Advantages:

Principle

Principle

Why can’t the sample contain organic matter?

Is it possible to pretreat solid samples?

What are the main factors that may cause testing errors?

What types of small columns are commonly used for IC pretreatment?

application

Determination of lithium salt species in lithium battery electrolytes by ion chromatography.