DETERMINATION OF PYRIDINIUM IONIC LIQUID CATIONS BY ION CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH DIRECT CONDUCTIVITY DETECTION

Abstract

Determination of two pyridinium ionic liquid cations (1-ethyl pyridinium cation and 1-butyl pyridinium cation) by ion chromatography using a carboxylic acid based cation-exchange column and direct conductivity detection was carried out. The optimized chromatographic conditions were 8.0 m mol L⁻¹ methanesulfonic acid +5% acetonitrile (v/v) as eluent, flow rate of 1.0 mL min⁻¹, and column temperature of 45°C. Detection limits (S/N = 3) for the two cations were 1.93 and 4.68 mg L⁻¹, respectively. Relative standard deviations (n = 5) for peak areas were less than 0.8%. This simple method was successfully applied to determine pyridinium ionic liquids in spiked surface water.

Keywords:

• cation-exchange
• conductivity detection
• ion chromatography
• ionic liquids
• methanesulfonic acid
• pyridinium cations

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province (Grant No. B200909), the Ministry of Education of Heilongjiang Province (Grant No. 11541088) and the Program for Scientific and Technological Innovation Team Construction in Universities of Heilongjiang (Grant No. 2011TD010).

Notes

*–, none detected.