Most basic recommended instrument:
- IonQuest Ion Chromatography System 2, including CE 4020
two-channel on-line degasser, CE 4601C column heater, and Power-
Stream software.
- CE 4715 continuous anion regenerant
suppressor and 4720 01 01 column
overpressure valve
Boilers used in power stations hold
ultrapure water, and the purity of
that water must be determined by
highly sensitive techniques. Ion chromatography is a technique that
offers high sensitivity. In this case
study, Cecil Instruments demonstrates
use of the IonQuest Ion Chromatography systems in the detection
of ultralow ppb levels of common
inorganic ions.
Typical method
Chloride, bromide, sulfate, and mitrate
ions were detected under the following
analytical conditions:
Analytical column: Allsep™ Anion column
(Grace, Deerfield, IL), 7 μm, 150 ×
4.6 mm
Mobile phase: Sodium carbonate/sodium
bicarbonate buffer, pH 10.5
Mobile phase flow rate: 1.3 mL/min
Column temperature: 35 °C
Detector temperature: 35 °C
Injection volume: 100 μL of untreated sample
Offset: 18 μS/cm
Range: 20 μS/cm
Run time: 10 min
Sodium, ammonium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium ions were detected under the following analytical
conditions:
Analytical column: Universal cation
column, 7 μm, 100 × 4.6 mm
Mobile phase: 5 mM methane sulfonic
acid, pH 4.0
Mobile phase flow rate: 1.0 mL/min
Column temperature: 35 °C
Detector temperature: 35 °C
Injection volume: 100 μL of untreated
sample
Offset: 2100 μS/cm
Range: 10 μS/cm
Run time: 7.5 min
Typical chromatograms (left):
Chromatogram 1: Inorganic anions in
boiler feed water.
Chromatogram 2: Inorganic cations in
boiler feed water.
Chromatogram 3: Inorganic anions in
steam condensate.
Cecil Instruments Ltd., Milton Technical Centre,
Cambridge CB4 6AZ, U.K.; tel.: +44 01223
420821; fax: +44 01223 420475; e-mail: info@
cecilinstruments.com; www.cecilinstruments.com.
This note acts purely as a guide to the method.
Cecil Instruments Ltd. takes no responsibility for
the outcome of any analysis.