Determination of oxalate, sulfate and nitrate in honey and honeydew by ion-chromatography

An ion chromatographic method for determining the anions oxalate, sulfate a nd nitrate in honey and honeydew samples is described. To prevent matrix in terference and to isolate the anions a clean-up step using solid-phase extr action on anionic cartridges and eluting with a 0.01 M chromate solution is recommended. The anions are separated on an anionic column with a mobile p hase of borate-gluconate buffer and using conductimetric detection. The met hod is applied to the analysis of samples from different botanical origin. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.