The application of a chemical sensor array detector in ion chromatography for the determination of Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ in water samples

A potentiometric sensor array detector was applied in ion chromatography (IC) for the determination of Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ in water samples with a detectability for these ions down to 0.02-0.1 mg l(-1). The results compare well with those obtained using AAS and flow injection reference methods. The advantages of this detector over the conductivity detector in IC are discussed. The detector has the capability of sensing up to eight different ions and the possibility of simultaneously determining both cations and anions in one sample is proposed.