Simultaneous determination of inorganic anions, organic acids and metal cations by capillary electrophoresis

A capillary electrophoresis method for the simultaneous analysis of inorganic anions, organic acids and metal cations was developed. 2,6-Pyridinedicarboxylic acid (PDC) was used as the background electrolyte to permit indirect UV detection of anions. The PDC also worked to confer a negative charge on metal cations via PDC-complex formation. In order to detect both anions and metal-PDC complexes simultaneously, the electroosmotic flow was reversed by adding cetyltrimethylammonium hydroxide. In the method detection of anions was carried out with indirect UV detection, whereas metal cations were detected directly. Thirteen anions and three metal cations were completely separated at the operating buffer, pH 5.7. The R.S.D. (n=6) values of the method were better than 0.2% for migration time and between 1.1% and 3.9% for peak area. Calibration graphs were linear with correlation coefficients better than 0.9992. The minimum detectable levels ranged from 0.2 mg 1(-1) to 1.9 mg 1(-1) with 300 mbar pressure injection (6 nl) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. This method is simple, rapid and reproducible and could be readily applied to the simultaneous determination of anions and metal cations in a plating bath sample. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.