EXTRACTION DETECTOR FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY USING SOLVENT SEGMENTATION OF THE COLUMN EFFLUENT

A high-performance liquid chromatographic post-column detection system based on ion-pair extraction in a solvent-segmented stream is described. Weakly basic compounds eluting from a reversed-phase RP-2 or CN column are mixed with a fluorescent counter ion (9,10-dimethoxyanthracene-2-sulphonate). The ion pair is then continously extracted into an organic solvent and detected fluorimentrically. The natures of the organic solvent and the ion pair strongly influence the detection sensitivity. A comparison of the solvent-segmentation and air-segmentation approaches showed no significant differnce with regard to band broadening. The solvent-segmentation principle, on the other hand, offers advantages with regard to simplicity of apparatus and handling and is less sensitive to temperature and flow variations. © 1979.