Anion Exchange-Adsorption on Low Capacity Anion Exchangers: Separation of Organic Acids, Amino Acids, Small Chain Peptides

Abstract

The variables that influence the retention of organic analyte anions on a macroporous, high surface area polystyrenedivinyl-benzene copolymer that is chemically modified by attaching tetraalkylammonium groups to the copolymer surface are identified and studied as a function of anion exchange capacity. A combined adsorption-anion exchange retention of the organic analyte anion is possible providing the analyte has both a hydrophophic center and an anionic charge site. As the column anion exchange capacity (0 to 173 μeq of anion exchange sites/column was studied) increases, analyte retention due to adsorption decreases and retention due to anion exchange increases. The factors influencing organic analyte anion retention by adsorption are low anion exchange capacity and mobile phase solvent composition, type of organic modifier, and pH for analytes that are weak organic acids. For anion exchange the major factors are a high anion exchange