Indirect photometric detection of inorganic monovalent and divalent cations by microcolumn ion chromatography using 1,1′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride as visualization agent Original Research Article

Microcolumn ion chromatography of inorganic monovalent and divalent cations has been investigated by using 1,1′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride as a visualization agent. The separation of sodium, ammonium, potassium, magnesium and calcium ions was completed within 20 min, and the analyte ions were indirectly detected at 230 nm. The concentration and mass detection limits at S/N=3 were in the range 14–56 μM and 2.7–11 pmol, respectively. The present method was applied to the determination of inorganic cations present in beverage samples.