ISOTACHOPHORESIS - TRIALS, TRIBULATIONS, AND TRENDS IN TRACE ANALYSISOF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC POLLUTANTS

The aim of this article is to summarize the present state of isotachop horesis (ITP) and its applications in organic and inorganic environmen tal trace analyses. The design and operation of an isotachophoretic in strumentation for the determination of pollutants is discussed. Applic ation of the closed system to the analysis of drinking water, surface waters and industrial waste water is reviewed. The emphasis has been l aid on the description of various application areas, most of them are illustrated by several characteristic practical examples of separation . Examples covering pollutants such as organic acids, phenols, nitroph enols, aldehydes, quaternary ammonium compounds, triazine herbicides, pyrethroid insecticides and separation of inorganic anions in mineral waters, surface and well waters and sewage are illustrated. The determ ination of inorganic cations in two different modes of operation such as anionic mode and in a cationic mode of operation is also covered. ( C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.