Application of zirconium-modified silica gel as a stationary phase in the ion-exclusion chromatography of carboxylic acids: I. Separation of benzenecarboxylic acids with tartaric acid as eluent and with UV-photometric detection

The application of zirconium-modified silica gels (Zr–Silicas) as stationary phases for ion-exclusion chromatography with UV-photometric detection (IEC–PD) for mono-, di-, tri- and tetrabenzenecarboxylic acids (pyromellitic, trimellitic, hemimellitic, o-phthalic, salicylic and benzoic acids) and phenol was carried out using tartaric acid as the eluent. Zr–Silicas were prepared by the reaction of the silanol group on the surface of silica gel with zirconium tetrabutoxide [Zr(OCH2CH2CH2CH3)4] in ethanol solution. The effect of the amount of zirconium adsorbed on silica gel on chromatographic behavior of these benzenecarboxylic acids and phenol was investigated. As a result, Zr–Silica adsorbed on 20 mg zirconium g−1 silica gel was the most suitable stationary phase in the IEC–PD for the simultaneous separation of these benzenecarboxylic acids and phenol. Excellent simultaneous separation and highly sensitive UV detection at 254 nm for these benzenecarboxylic acids and phenol were achieved in 20 min by the IEC–PD using the Zr–Silica column (250×4.6 mm I.D.) and a 10 mM tartaric acid at pH 2.5 as eluent.