Determination of trace-level anions in high-purity water samples by ion chromatography with an automated on-line fluent generation system

The use of the hydroxide eluents generated on-line by an automated hydroxide eluent generator system was compared with the use of hydroxide eluents prepared off-line in the ion chromatographic determination of trace inorganic and organic anions in high-purity water samples. The use of the hydroxide cluent generation system eliminated the need to prepare eluents off-line and minimized the problems associated with the use of conventional hydroxide eluents in ion chromatography. The results show that the use of high-purity and carbonate-free hydroxide eluents generated on-line yielded minimal baseline shifts during the gradients, improved the analyte retention time reproducibility and method precision, and lowered method detection limits for target analytes. (C) 1999 Academic Press.