Retention of Cr(III) by high-performance chelation ion chromatography interfaced to inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection with collision cell.

High-performance chelation ion chromatography (HPCIC) was employed to retain cationic Cr(III) on an anion-exchange column and hence allow the separation of the two most prevalent forms of chromium, Cr(II) and Cr(VI). A mobile phase of nitric acid was utilized at pH = 1.5; additionally, 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid was used at a concentration of 6 mM. Additives with different structural characteristics were used in an effort to elucidate retention mechanisms. Inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used for chromium detection. A collision cell was utilized to reduce chloride-based polyatomic ions that may interfere with the detection of Cr(III), and a detection limit study yielded levels in the low part-per-billion range. The newly developed method was applied to the chromatographic analysis of samples of an incubation medium containing Cr(VI) incubated with cell nuclei.