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Simultaneous Determination of Nitrate, Chloride, Sulfate, and Phosphate in Natural Waters by Ion Chromatography¹

ABSTRACT

Simultaneous analysis of anions in water samples is needed. Studies to evaluate the Dionex Model 10 Ion Chromatograph (IC) for simultaneous determination of NO₃^–, Cl^–, SO₄^2–, and PO₄^3– in water samples, including soil extracts, showed that the results by the IC method agreed closely with those obtained by the steam-distillation method for NO₃^–, colorimetric method using mercuric thiocyanate and ferric ammonium sulfate for Cl^–, reduction and colorimetric determination as methylene blue for SO₄^2–, and colorimetric molybdenum blue method for PO₄^3–. The IC method is based on separation of the anions by a separator column containing Dionex low-capacity anion-exchange resin in the HCO₃^– form and on converting the various anions to their corresponding acids by a suppressor column containing a strong acid cation-exchange resin in the H⁺ form. A solution 3.0 mM NaHCO₃ + 2.4 nM Na₂CO₃ is used as the eluent, and electrical conductivity is used as the mode of detection. The method is precise and accurate, and can detect as little as 0.1 mg/L of NO₃^–-N, Cl^–, SO₄^2–-S, or PO₄^3–-P in water samples. The coefficient of variation ranged from 0.44 to 8.6% for NO₃^–-N, from 0.14 to 4.3% for Cl^–, from 0.13 to 1.1% for SO₄^2–-S, and from 0.55 to 8.6% for PO₄^3–-P. With the IC method, the 4 anions indicated can be determined simultaneously in 2 mL of water in approximately 10 min.

Key Words: liquid chromatography • anion separation • soil solution • precipitation • surface waters

¹ Journal Paper J-10692 of the Iowa Agric. & Home Econ. Exp. Stn., Ames, Iowa. Projects 2082, 2112, and 2431. This work was supported in part by the Sulphur Institute.

² Professor of Soil Chemistry and Graduate Research Assistant, respectively. Dep. of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, 1A 50011. The junior author is currently Assistant Professor, Dep. of Agronomy, OARDC and the Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 44604.

Received for publication June 8, 1982.

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