Effect of temperature on retention and selectivity in ion chromatography of anions

The temperature dependence of retention of a wide range of inorganic anions is studied on two commercially available ion exchangers (Dionex AS11 and AS14 columns). Anion retention exhibited both exothermic and endothermic behavior, such that varying the temperature from ambient to 60°C produced selectivity changes. The anions displayed three groupings of temperature dependence: weakly retained singly charged anions (e.g., iodate, bromate, nitrite, bromide and nitrate); multiply charged anions (sulfate, oxalate, phosphate and thiosulfate); and strongly retained singly charged anions (iodide, thiocyanate and perchlorate). Temperature was ineffective at changing the selectivity of retention between anions of the same grouping. However, significant selectivity changes, including elution order reversal, could be achieved between anions from different groupings.