Capabilities of on-line element-specific detection in high-performance liquid chromatography using an inductively coupled argon plasma emission source detector

Abstract

The applicability of the inductively coupled argon plasma (ICAP) as a detector in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was investigated. The influence of the flow-rate and the nature of the mobile phase on the operation of the ICAP source, and on peak broadening, sensitivity, linearity and detection limits was determined. At the flow-rates and mobile phase compositions normally applied in reversed-phase chromatography the ICAP proved to be a higly valuable HPLC detector. In straight-phase chromatography troublesome limitations in the choice of the mobile phase were observed. Peak broadening effects are acceptable; detection limits are in the nanograms per millilitre range while the linear range covers about four orders of magnitude. The sensitivity is essentially independent of the molecular form. The usefulness of ICAP—HPLC is illustrated by the separation of iron carbonyl and molybdenum carbonyl complexes and of ferrocene, organoarsenic, organomercury and organolead compounds.