STUDY OF ION-CHROMATOGRAPHIC BEHAVIOR OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC ANTIMONY SPECIES BY USING INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETRIC (ICP-MS) DETECTION

An on-line method for the analysis of Sb(III), Sb(V) and trimethylstib oxide (TMSbO) is presented. The separation is performed using ion chro matography (IC) on a strong anion-exchange column with phthalic acid p lus 2% acteone at pH 5 as mobile phase. The chromatographic system is coupled to an ICP-MS as detector. The influence of different complexin g agents on the chromatographic behavior of the antimony species is st udied. Rather stable complexes of Sb(III) seem to be formed with citra te and tartrate under the experimental conditions. TMSbO forms a diani onic species with citrate in contrast to the otherwise monoanionic com plex.