Ion chromatography or Ion-exchange chromatography is a procedure which enables the separation of ions and polar molecules on the basis of the charge properties of these molecules. It can be used for several sorts of charged molecules such as large proteins, little nucleotides and amino acids. The solution to be injected is normally known as a sample and the independently separated elements are identified as analyses. Ion exchange chromatography keeps analyze molecules using coulombic ionic interactions. The stationary phase surface exhibits ionic functional groups that interact with analyze ions of opposite charge. This category of chromatography can be further subdivided into cation exchange chromatography and anion exchange chromatography. The ionic compound comprising the cationic species and the anionic species can be retained by the stationary phase.
Cation exchange ion Chromatography retains positively charged cations because the stationary phase exhibits a negatively charged functional class. Anion exchange chromatography keeps anions displaying a positively charged functional class. Note that the ion power of cations or anions in the mobile phase may be adjusted to alter the balance position and, hence, the retention period. An ion chromatogram can be used to reveal that the chromatogram obtained with an ion exchange column. A normal ion chromatography technique involves the introduction of a sample either manually or using an auto sampler, into a sample loop of known quantity. A buffered aqueous solution called the mobile phase carries the sample out of the loop into a column that comprises some kind of stationary phase material. This is normally a resin or gel matrix which includes agarose or cellulose beads with covalently bonded charged functional groups. The target analyses anions or cations are kept on the stationary phase but may be eluted by increasing the concentration of a similarly charged species.
So as to control an Ion chromatography system, a chromatography data system is required. what is a chromatogram Some of the chromatography data systems are also used to control gas chromatography and HPLC systems. Proteins have many functional groups that could have both negative and positive charges. Ion chromatography separates proteins according to their net charge. This depends upon the composition of the mobile phase. By adjusting the pH or the ionic concentration of the mobile phase, various protein molecules can be separated. By way of instance, if a protein has a net positive charge at pH 7, then it will bind to a column of negatively-charged beads, but a negatively charged protein will not. Accomplishing elution by changing the ionic strength of the mobile phase is a more subtle effect. It works because ions from the cell phase will interact with the trapped ions in preference to those on the stationary phase. A preparative-scale ion exchange column is used for protein purification.