HYPHENATED HPLC ICP-MS AND HPLC ICP-OES TECHNIQUES FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF METAL AND NONMETAL SPECIES

Ion-pair and ion-exchange chromatography were used for the separation of model substances like metal-EDTA and metal-peptide complexes. Real samples like food extracts and human serum were separated by size-excl usion chromatography. The HLPC/ICP coupling was simply realized by con necting the column outlet of the chromatographic system with the nebul izer of the element specific detection systems ICP-OES and ICP-MS, res pectively. In food extracts a correlation was found between zinc and s ulfur as well as between copper and phosphorus; all measured metals we re exclusively present in the 10-14 kD range. Copper in the 68 kD regi on was found to be correlated with sulfur in serum.