Anion Exchange Chromatography Coupled to Electrospray-Mass Spectrometry: An Efficient Tool for Food, Environment, and Biological Analysis

Abstract

For over 50 years, ion chromatography has been demonstrated to be a successful technique used to quantify a wide range of ions and ionizable compounds, either organic or inorganic, in various matrices using conductimetric or electrochemical detection. It was only since 1996 that ion chromatography was coupled to electrospray-mass spectrometry, opening the field to new applications in complex matrices and the detection of compounds at trace levels. This review covers the recent developments of ion exchange chromatography and mass spectrometry. It focuses on the choice of mobile phases, column geometry, suppressors, make-up solvents and type of ionization sources reported in the literature. A brief overview of a large range of applications in food analysis, environmental analysis and bioanalysis is presented, and performances are discussed.

Keywords:

• biological analysis
• environmental analysis
• food analysis
• ion exchange chromatography
• mass spectrometry

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to A.M. Compiano from Thermo Fisher Scientific for our exchanges on ion chromatography and his valuable knowledge.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.