A permeative amine/acid introduction device (PAID) is placed after a conventional KOH eluent suppressed conductometric anion chromatography (SCAC) system. The PAID converts the suppressed eluites from the acid form to the corresponding salt. For example, when the analytes are acids, they are converted to the corresponding ammonium salt (NR.sub.2H+HX.fwdarw.NR.sub.2H.sub.2.sup.++X.sup.−) and allows very weak acids HX (pK.sub.a≥7.0) that cannot normally be detected by SCAC to be measured by a second conductivity detector following the PAID. Permeative reagent introduction is dilutionless, can be operated without pumps and provides good mixing with low band dispersion (as small as 30 μL). An exemplary amine is diethylamine (DEA), which was chosen as the amine source due to its low pK.sub.b value (pK.sub.b 3.0), high vapor pressure, and low toxicity and low odor.

A suppressor device for an ion chromatograph is provided between a separation column and a detector of an ion chromatograph. An electrodialysis suppressor includes a first flow path to which an eluent flowing from the separation column is supplied, a second flow path to which a regeneration liquid is supplied, an ion exchange membrane provided between the first flow path and the second flow path and an electrode to which a voltage is applied. A power supply circuit that applies a voltage to the electrode is turned off in a case in which an eluent is not supplied to the first flow path of the electrodialysis suppressor.

An ion suppressor includes ion exchange membranes between a pair of electrodes. Regeneration liquid channels are provided in the spaces between the electrodes and the ion exchange membranes, and an eluent channel is provided between the ion exchange membranes. Ion re-exchange in the eluent on the downstream side of the eluent channel is suppressed, thereby making it possible to improve the detection sensitivity for the ion to be measured. For example, the eluent channel has a folded structure, thereby increasing the amount of current on the downstream side of the eluent channel, and thus, the accumulation of ions is suppressed, and accordingly, ion re-exchange in the eluent can be suppressed.

An electrolytic eluent generator includes an electrolyte reservoir, an eluent generation chamber, and an ion exchange membrane stack. The electrolyte reservoir includes a chamber containing an aqueous electrolyte solution including an electrolyte; and a first electrode. The eluent generation chamber including a second electrode. The ion exchange connector includes an ion exchange membrane stack, and a compression block.

A chromatography system includes an electrolytic eluent generator; a first valve configured to switch between an operating position which directs an output of the electrolytic eluent generator to a continuously generated trap column and a waste position which directs the output of the electrolytic eluent generator to waste; the continuously regenerated trap column; a degasser; a sample injector including a sample injector valve assembly, the sample injector valve assembly configured to switch between an operation mode which directs an output of the degasser to a separation column, a load mode which loads a sample onto the separation column, and a regenerant mode which directs the output of the degasser to a regenerant line; the separation column; a suppressor; and a detector.

An ion chromatography system includes a separation column configured to separate components of a solution; a non-destructive detector; and a concentrator configured to capture components of a check standard after they leave the conductivity non-destructive detector; and release the components of the check standard to the separation column.

An ion source and ion recycle module includes an electrolyte reservoir, an eluent recovery chamber, and an ion exchange connector. The electrolyte reservoir includes a chamber containing an aqueous electrolyte solution including an electrolyte having a chamber inlet and a chamber outlet, and a first electrode. The chamber inlet is fluidically connected to a source chamber of an electrolytic eluent generator and configured to receive depleted electrolyte solution from the source chamber of the electrolytic eluent generator. The chamber outlet is fluidically connected to the source chamber of the electrolytic eluent generator and configured to provide recycled electrolyte solution to the electrolytic eluent generator source chamber. The eluent recovery chamber including a second electrode and configured to receive an eluent solution including eluent counter ions from the eluent generator; and the ion exchange connector including an ion exchange membrane stack.

A system for self-regulating a suppressor includes an ion chromatography suppressor, a power supply for applying an electric potential to the suppressor, and a control unit configured to provide an offset voltage Vos and an applied voltage V.sub.A to the suppressor, measure a current of the suppressor responsive to the offset and applied voltages V.sub.OS and V.sub.A, determine a suppressor state of the suppressor based upon the measured current, and adjust the offset voltage Vos based upon the suppressor state. A method for self-regulating a suppressor is also disclosed.

An apparatus for suppressing an eluent of an aqueous sample stream including analyte ions of one charge, positive or negative, comprises a primary channel member, a first block, a first regenerant flow channel, a first charged barrier, a second block, a second regenerant flow channel, a second charged barrier, a first stationary flow-through ion exchange material, and optionally a first electrode and a second electrode. The first stationary flow-through ion exchange material comprises a polyolefin substrate having a functional polymer layer disposed thereon. The polyolefin substrate has a pore structure with a pore size ranging from about 5 microns to about 250 microns. The functional polymer layer has a thickness ranging from about 1 micron to about 20 microns, and a layer pore structure having a pore size ranging from about 1 nm to about 100 nm. The functional polymer layer comprises an ion exchange layer.

The eluent used in IC separation contains non-volatile salt which is not compatible with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). A suppressor is required to convert the non-volatile salt into water or the volatile acid form (i.e. acetic acid). When the suppressor fails, the non-volatile salts will enter the MS and cause extensive shutdown and maintenance of the mass spectrometer. The suppressor voltage derivative is used to evaluate the most common suppressor failure modes, including disruption of regenerant flow and excessive backpressure on the suppressor due to clogging in the downstream, and to trigger the eluent pump to stop the eluent flow or to trigger the auxiliary valve to switch the flow to the mass spectrometer from eluent to water.