Ion-pair chromatographic determination of chromium(VI).

Ion-pair chromatography (IPC) with conductometric detection was investigated as a precise and selective analytical method for the determination of chromium in electro-plating solutions and waste waters. Chromatographic parameters were optimized for separation of Cr(VI) and SO(2-)(4). The analytical column (100 x 6 mm) was packed with 10 mum silasorb C(18) (Czechoslovakia). Tetrabutylammonium butyrate (TBAB), at pH 7.0 in acetonitrile-water (18:82 v/v) mixture, was used as the eluent. Two samples of solution are taken for the analysis. In the first of them the amount of Cr(VI) is determined, in the second one Cr(III) is oxidized to Cr(VI) with H(2)O(2) in alkaline medium and the total amount of Cr is determined. From the difference of the two obtained results the concentration of Cr(III) is calculated. The detection limit of Cr(VI) is 0.1 mug/ml and the relative standard deviation (at the 1.0 mug/ml) is 4.0%. The IPC results for chromium agreed closely with these obtained by spectrophotometry.