Metal determination and metal speciation by liquid chromatography : a review

The determination of metals by liquid chromatography (LC), with particular emphasis on the role of complexation is reviewed. Twenty-two complexing reagents were examined and 3 distinct roles for complexation were identified. The first was the formation and separation of discrete metal complex derivates (pre-column, on-line, off-line or on-column), the second was post-column derivatization as a means of metal ion detection (ion chromatography) and the third was complexation in the mobile or stationary phase to affect partition coefficients and, thereby, to control retention times and resolution. Selected applications of LC in analytical chemistry illustrated the versatility of complexation chromatography in all areas of chromatography including gas chromatography (GC), thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). There are 446 references.