Ion Chromatograph (IC)
Separates charged species (anions, cations, small organic acids and amines) on an ion-exchange column and usually detects them by conductivity. Used in pharma QC for counter-ions, inorganic impurities and ions in water.
- Pharmaceutical
- Power and water utilities
- Environmental
- Food & beverage
- Semiconductor
- Chemicals
Test your IC knowledge
Multiple-choice questions
Pick an answer to see whether you are right and why.
Q1. Which detector is most commonly used in ion chromatography?
basicQ2. What does the suppressor do in anion IC?
intermediateQ3. On an anion-exchange column, which ion is generally retained longest?
intermediateQ4. Why are IC flow paths usually made of PEEK rather than stainless steel?
basicQ5. A rising background conductivity at the start of the day most likely indicates:
intermediateQ6. Why must conductivity detection cells be temperature-controlled?
advanced
Viva questions
Think of your answer first, then open it to compare.
1. How would you use IC to assay the chloride counter-ion in a hydrochloride API?
Dissolve and dilute the API so chloride falls in the calibration range, filter through an IC-grade filter, run chloride standards to build a calibration curve, inject the sample and calculate % chloride, comparing it with the theoretical value from the salt's formula and the specification.
2. What are common sources of chloride and sulfate contamination in IC blanks?
Impure water, unrinsed vials and glassware, syringe filters, skin contact (gloves help), and contaminated eluent reservoirs. Use 18.2 MΩ·cm water, rinse filters and vials, and run blanks to prove cleanliness.
3. What is the advantage of an eluent generator?
It produces KOH or MSA electrolytically from water at an exact concentration, so eluent is reproducible, carbonate-free and gradients are easy, with no manual preparation errors.
Keep every IC in control: usage logs, calibration and maintenance schedules, and automatic blocking of overdue instruments.