RETENTION IN ANALYTICAL ION-EXCHANGE CHROMATOGRAPHY .1. STRONG ELECTROLYTES ON STRONG ION-EXCHANGERS

A retention equation of general validity is adapted to ion exchange ch romatography providing a self-consistent interpretation of retention o f solutes and system peaks. Discussion is limited to eluent mixtures c ontaining ions of invariant charge and to stationary phases with pH-in dependent surface charge. An interpretation is proposed for the retent ion volume of system peaks in binary eluents (mixtures of two eluent c ounter-ions). Retention volumes of labelled counter-ions of the eluent appear to provide useful information about the chromatographic system with clear interpretation in any multicomponent eluent.