METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A HIGH PURITY CHROMATOGRAPHY ELUENT

摘要

A method and an apparatus for the generation of a high purity chromatography eluent are provided. In one form of the invention, an eluent generating means defines a source channel and a product channel separated by a permselective ion exchange membrane including exchangeable ions of the same charge as the selected ionic species. The membrane allows passage of ions of the same charge as the ionic species but is resistant to transmembrane passage of ions of opposite charge. Means are provided for applying an electrical potential between the source channel and the product channel. The effluent from the product channel is directed to chromatographic separation means. Means are also provided for supplying liquid sample to the chromatographic separation means. By means of this system, only ions of the same charge as the selected ionic species flow across the ion exchange membrane into the product stream since the membrane is resistant to transmembrane passage of ions. This eliminates oppositely charged ions that would otherwise interfere with the accurate analysis of the ionic constituents of the sample during ion chromatography.