Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
The method of chromatographic separation and quantitative analysis of at least a first and second ionic species of ionizable compounds in a polar mobile liquid phase, all of said ionic species being of a positive or negative charge, comprising the steps of: (a) directing said mobile liquid phase, including an ion exchange site-forming compound, through a first column including a porous, hydrophobic chromatographic bed with essentially no permanently attached ion exchange sites, said ion exchange-site forming compound including a counter ion of opposite charge to said ionic species and also including a co-ion of the same charge as said ionic species, so that said counter ion forms reversible adsorptive bonds with said chromatographic bed to create ion exchange sites therein, and so that said first and second ionic species are differentially retarded by said ion exchange sites and are chromatographically resolved in the eluent from said first column, said eluent also including counter ions and co-ions, (b) directing the eluent from said first column through a second column containing an ion exchange resin of a type which substantially precludes passage of said counter ions and co-ions in ionic form, and (c) directing the eluent from said second column through a conductivity cell having associated readout means to quantitatively detect said first and second ionic species.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
215 words
The method of chromatographic separation and quantitative analysis of at least a first and second ionic species of ionizable compounds in a polar mobile liquid phase, all of said ionic species being of a positive or negative charge, comprising the steps of: (a) directing said mobile liquid phase, including an ion exchange site-forming compound, through a first column including a porous, hydrophobic chromatographic bed with essentially no permanently attached ion exchange sites, said ion exchange-site forming compound including a counter ion of opposite charge to said ionic species and also including a co-ion of the same charge as said ionic species, so that said counter ion forms reversible adsorptive bonds with said chromatographic bed to create ion exchange sites therein, and so that said first and second ionic species are differentially retarded by said ion exchange sites and are chromatographically resolved in the eluent from said first column, said eluent also including counter ions and co-ions, (b) directing the eluent from said first column through a second column containing an ion exchange resin of a type which substantially precludes passage of said counter ions and co-ions in ionic form, and (c) directing the eluent from said second column through a conductivity cell having associated readout means to quantitatively detect said first and second ionic species.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 in which said mobile liquid phase includes a substantially non-ionic, organic polar compound in an amount to reduce the retardation time of said ionic species in said bed in a controlled manner.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 1 in which said mobile liquid phase includes a developing reagent, including an inorganic developing ion of the same charge as said ionic species, in an amount to reduce the retardation time of said ionic species in said bed in a controlled manner, the developing ion and its co-ion being of a type which are substantially precluded from passage through said second column in ionic form.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 in which said chromatographic bed comprises a hydrocarbon chain bonded to a substrate forming a reversed-phase packing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 4 in which the substrate of the hydrocarbon chain comprises silica.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 in which said ionic species are anions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 6 in which the co-ion of said counter ion is selected from the group consisting of hydroxide, borate and carbonate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 6 in which said second column is of a hydrogen-form cation exchange type which retains said counter ions and which passes the co-ions of said counter ions in hydrogen form.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 6 in which said counter ion is an alkyl ammonium ion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 in which the ionic species are cations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 10 in which the co-ion of said counter ion is hydrogen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 10 in which said second column is of a hydroxide-form anion type which retains said counter ion and which passes the co-ions of said counter ion in hydroxide form.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
225 words
The method of chromatographic separation and quantitative analysis of at least a first and second ionic species of ionizable compounds in a polar mobile liquid phase, all of said ionic species being of a positive or negative charge, comprising the steps of: (a) directing said mobile liquid phase, including a counter ion of opposite charge to said ionic species and also including a co-ion of the same charge as said ionic species, through a first column including a porous, hydrophobic chromatographic bed with essentially no permanently attached ion exchange sites, so that said counter ion and ionic species form first and second reversible ion pairs which form reversible adsorptive bonds with said chromatographic bed, and so that said ionic species are differentially retarded by said bed and, thus, are chromatographically resolved in the eluent from said first column, said eluent also including a portion of said co-ions, (b) directing the eluent from said first column through a second column containing an ion exchange resin of a type which substantially precludes passage of said counter ions and co-ions in ionic form, and which converts the ionic species of said first and second ion pairs to a more highly ionized form, and (c) directing the eluent from said second column through a conductivity cell having associated readout means to quantitatively detect said first and second ionic species.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
225 words
The method of chromatographic separation and quantitative analysis of at least a first and second ionic species of ionizable compounds in a polar mobile liquid phase, all of said ionic species being of a positive or negative charge, comprising the steps of: (a) directing said mobile liquid phase, including a counter ion of opposite charge to said ionic species and also including a co-ion of the same charge as said ionic species, through a first column including a porous, hydrophobic chromatographic bed with essentially no permanently attached ion exchange sites, so that said counter ion and ionic species form first and second reversible ion pairs which form reversible adsorptive bonds with said chromatographic bed, and so that said ionic species are differentially retarded by said bed and, thus, are chromatographically resolved in the eluent from said first column, said eluent also including a portion of said co-ions, (b) directing the eluent from said first column through a second column containing an ion exchange resin of a type which substantially precludes passage of said counter ions and co-ions in ionic form, and which converts the ionic species of said first and second ion pairs to a more highly ionized form, and (c) directing the eluent from said second column through a conductivity cell having associated readout means to quantitatively detect said first and second ionic species.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 13 in which said mobile liquid phase includes a substantially non-ionic, organic polar compound in an amount to reduce the retardation time of said ionic species in said bed in a controlled manner.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 13 in which said mobile liquid phase includes a developing reagent, including an inorganic developing ion of the same charge as said ionic species, in an amount to reduce the retardation time of said ionic species in said bed in a controlled manner, the developing ion and its co-ion being of a type which are substantially precluded from passage through said second column in ionic form.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13 in which said chromatographic bed comprises a hydrocarbon chain bonded to a substrate forming a reversed- phase packing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 16 in which the substrate of the hydrocarbon chain comprises silica.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13 in which said ionic species are anions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 18 in which the co-ion of said counter ion is selected from the group consisting of hydroxide, borate and carbonate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 18 in which said second column is of a hydrogen-form cation exchange type which retains said counter ions and which passes the co-ions of said counter ions in hydrogen form.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 18 in which said counter ion is an alkyl ammonium ion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13 in which the ionic species are cations.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 13 which the co-ion of said counter ion is hydrogen.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 13 in which said second column is of a hydroxide-form anion type which retains said counter ion and which passes the co-ions of said counter ion in hydroxide form.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 13 in which said ionic species are organic and, compared to the counter ions in the ion pairs, form the predominant, reversible adsorptive bonds with said chromatographic bed.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13 in which said counter ion is inorganic.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 13 in which said mobile liquid phase includes a substantially non-ionic, organic polar compound in an amount to reduce the retardation time of said ionic species in said bed in a controlled manner.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
158 words
Apparatus for the chromatographic separation and quantitative analysis of species in a polar mobile liquid phase, including a common counter ion for said ionic species, all of said ionic species being of a positive or negative charge, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first column containing a porous hydrophobic chromatographic bed with essentially no permanently attached ion exchange sites, said bed including hydrocarbon chains capable of forming reversible adsorptive bonds with organic moieties in said polar mobile liquid phase, (b) means for supplying said polar mobile liquid phase to said first column, (c) a second column containing an ion exchange resin bed of a type and capacity to substantially preclude passage of said counter ion in ionic form, (d) first conduit means between first and second columns, (e) conductivity measurement means and associated readout means, said measurement means including at least a first flowthrough conductivity cell, and (f) second conduit means between said second column and said conductivity cell.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
158 words
Apparatus for the chromatographic separation and quantitative analysis of species in a polar mobile liquid phase, including a common counter ion for said ionic species, all of said ionic species being of a positive or negative charge, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first column containing a porous hydrophobic chromatographic bed with essentially no permanently attached ion exchange sites, said bed including hydrocarbon chains capable of forming reversible adsorptive bonds with organic moieties in said polar mobile liquid phase, (b) means for supplying said polar mobile liquid phase to said first column, (c) a second column containing an ion exchange resin bed of a type and capacity to substantially preclude passage of said counter ion in ionic form, (d) first conduit means between first and second columns, (e) conductivity measurement means and associated readout means, said measurement means including at least a first flowthrough conductivity cell, and (f) second conduit means between said second column and said conductivity cell.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 28 in which said chromatographic bed comprises a hydrocarbon chain bonded to a substrate forming a reversed-phase packing.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 28 in which the substrate of the reversed phase comprises silica.