Microcolumn ion chromatography of inorganic UV-absorbing anions using bovine serum albumin as stationary phases

Inorganic anions were separated by ion chromatography using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the stationary phase. BSA is amphoteric and anions were retarded under acidic conditions. Inorganic anions such as iodate, bromide, nitrate, iodide and thiocyanate were separated within 10 min using tartaric acid as the eluent and detected at 210 nm. The capacity factor of the analyte ions decreased with increasing pH of the eluent. The calibration curves were linear up to the concentration of 1.25 mM. The detection limits of the analytes tested at SN = 3 were in the 13–83 μM range. The present method was applied to the determination of inorganic anions present in saliva.