Anion- and cation-responsive, all solid-state, tubular PVC membrane el
ectrodes were used as detectors in nonsuppressed ion chromatography. S
eparation and detection of 11 monovalent inorganic and organic anions
with a 2 muL cell volume detector were demonstrated using low concentr
ation eluents. A simple and selective method for chromatographic separ
ation and potentiometric detection at sub-ppb levels of seven cations
was achieved in 7 minutes. As the detector was selective and sensitive
only to monovalent cations, with no interference from other cations,
the method was easily applicable to other sample types, including the
determination of sodium and potassium ions in inorganic and organic ch
emicals. The overall efficiency of ion chromatographic procedures allo
ws the possibility of routine separation and detection of inorganic an
d organic anions and cations at low levels in a simultaneous system. T
hus, a simple, selective, sensitive, reproducible method was developed
needing only 8 minutes or less to complete an independent separation
and simultaneous potentiometric detection of 14 inorganic and organic
monovalent common anions and cations with anion and cation-exchange co
lumns in series. The method is flexible as the anions will not interfe
re with the detection of cations and cations will not interfere with t
he detection of anions, so that detectors can be used at the end of th
e two columns in series or one detector can be used at the end of each
column. Applications to natural water samples are described.