Analysis of organic compounds in baths used in the manufacture of printed circuit board using novel chromatographic methods

Claim 1

An analytical method of determining the concentration of an organic analyte or mixtures thereof in a chemical bath, other than an acidic or basic metal plating bath medium, used in the manufacture of printed circuit boards using an HPLC apparatus having components that maintain the stability, precision and accuracy of the analytical method which comprises: (1) obtaining an HPLC apparatus having: (a) a chromatographic column, containing a stationary phase and a support phase composition sufficient to resolve each organic analyte, having an inlet and an outlet; (b) a detector means for measuring the relative concentration of each organic analyte, having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the chromatographic column outlet is attached in liquid communication to the detector inlet; (c) a second column, having a packing comprising at least a support phase composition, and having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the second column outlet is connected in liquid communication with the chromatographic column inlet, wherein the second column support phase composition can substantially reduce the effect of the acidic or basic components of the sample on the reproducibility, precision or accuracy of the analysis; (d) a sample introduction means having an inlet, an outlet and a sample introduction port, wherein the sample introduction means outlet is attached in liquid communication to the second column inlet; and (e) a source of solvent under pressure attached in liquid communication to the sample introduction means inlet; (2) passing a stream of solvent under pressure through the HPLC apparatus; (3) applying a sample of the chemical bath to be analyzed into the stream of solvent under pressure at the sample introduction port; (4) passing the chemical bath sample in the solvent through the second column wherein the column packing substantially reduces the effect of the acid or basic components of the sample, forming an innocuous analyte; (5) passing the innocuous analyte in the stream of solvent into the chromatographic column, resolving the analyte components into detectable segments utilizing the interaction between the analyte and the stationary phase; and (6) passing the detectable segments in the solvent into a detector that can produce a signal which as a result of the cooperation of the elements of the HPLC apparatus detector and the sample obtains a substantially linear relationship between the analyte concentration in the sample and the integration units produced from the signal.