STUDY OF PERMANENTLY COATED COLUMNS FOR THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF SULFUR ANIONS IN ENVIRONMENTAL-SAMPLESFROM METALLURGICAL PROCESSES

The behaviour of styrene-divinylbenzene and bonded C18 reversed-phases permanently coated with cetylpyridinium ion or hexadecyltrimethylammo nium ion (''permanent coating'' ion-interaction chromatography) were i nvestigated for the determination of sulphur species in samples from s tudies on environmental control in metallurgical processes. The advant ages of these types of exchanger are the ability to vary the ion-excha nge capacity and the attainment of high column efficiency. Also demons trated is the effect of an organic modifier on the control of retentio n and the wide linear range calibration curves ofbtained with these co lumns. Examples of application to the analysis of effluents and acid-t ailings residues from metallurgical processing operations for the dete rmination of sulphate, thiosulphate and thiocyanate anions are given. Detection was by indirect UV absorption.