Some modern approaches to the chromatographic determination of inorganic anions.

The determination of inorganic anions has traditionally been performed using classical titrimetric, volumetric or spectrophotometric techniques, or with the use of ion selective electrodes. In many cases, these techniques lack selectivity, sensitivity and speed, and are applicable to the determination of only a single species at one time. Conventional ion exchange, with diverse monitoring methods such as conductivity, polarography, spectrophotometry, etc. is also inadequate in terms of resolution and sensitivity. These drawbacks have provided impetus for the development of rapid and sensitive methods of analysis using liquid chromatography, and considerable advances have been made in this area in recent years. This development has been chiefly directed towards inorganic anion analysis; however, the experience gained can often be applied to cation analysis with equal success. The current availablity of satisfactory alternative methods for cation analysis (such as atomic absorption spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and polarography) means that cation analysis by liquid chromatography does not have the same priority as anion analysis.