Environmental analysis of aliphatic carboxylic acids by ion-exclusion chromatography Review Article

During the last decades, ion-exclusion chromatography has been developed to one of the leading analytical techniques for the separation and determination of short-chain aliphatic carboxylic acids in various matrices. Meanwhile, environmental applications including soil, air, ground water, drinking water, geological materials, sewage, waste and biomass are numerous. After a brief overview over actual research topics linked with the environmental occurrence of organic acids, the working principles of ion-exclusion chromatography, etc. are outlined. Furthermore, methods for sample clean-up and solute enrichment are detailed. Then a synopsis of environmental ion-exclusion chromatography applications of the last 10 years follows including a tabulated compilation of experimental conditions used. Finally, benefits and shortcomings of the analytical methods are assessed under the viewpoint of their practical implication and actual trends are highlighted.