Use of sulfonated cation-exchange resin based on hypercrosslinked polystyrene for the separation of organic acids

The use of sulfonated cation-exchange resins based on hypercrosslinked poly styrene (HCPS) and highly cross-linked polystyrene-divinylbenzene (80% divi nylbenzene) for the separation of organic acids was studied. The influence of the concentration of the eluent, temperature of the chromatographic colu mn, and concentration of acetonitrile in the eluent on the retention of ali phatic carboxylic acids in ion-exclusion chromatography was examined. The o ptimal separation of organic acids on the HCPS sorbent is attained at 65 de greesC with the use of 10 mM H2SO4 with or without acetonitrile addition as the eluent. The sorbent based on HCPS in combination with spectrophotometr ic detection is promising for the determination of organic acids and other weakly ionized and neutral compounds with low molecular mass in samples of complex composition (juices and beer).