Ion chromatographic analysis of corrosion inhibitors in concrete

A method employing ion chromatography for identifying and quantifying ions present in the aqueous phase of concrete after surface treatment with corrosion inhibitors is reported in this paper. With this technique, a broad range of ions including ethanolamine, nitrite and monofluorophosphate, present in the inhibitors tested, could be identified in solution. When ethanolamine and nitrite were applied to the surface of concrete, they were readily detected in samples into which they had penetrated. In the case of mono fluorophosphate-treated concrete, only the hydrolysis products, fluoride and phosphate were detected and not the mono fluorophosphate ion itself. Furthermore, concentrations of other important ions, such as chloride, were also quantifiable by this technique. One of the main advantages of ion chromatography for this type of application is its ability to analyse a wide range of ions in a given sample. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.