Nitrate Analysis in Milk Using Non-Suppressor Ion Chromatography

Record: 764

Category: Column Selection
Product: NI-424
Sample: Nitrate

Question
A customer is interested in analyzing nitrate (NO₃⁻) in milk products.
Can this be done using a CD-200 conductivity detector and NI-424 column under non-suppressor ion chromatography conditions?
Based on earlier Shodex applications, the detection sensitivity for non-suppressor methods appears to be around 10–20 µg on-column with a 20 µL injection (≈0.5–1 ppm).

Answer
Yes. Nitrate can be analyzed using the Shodex NI-424 column with a non-suppressor IC system and conductivity detection (CD-200). Under optimized conditions, NI-424 provides detection sensitivity of approximately 10 µg per 20 µL injection (~0.5 ppm) for nitrate ions, consistent with Shodex application data.

For milk or other complex food matrices, proper sample cleanup and deproteinization are essential to prevent matrix interference and column fouling. If the sample is appropriately prepared for inorganic anion analysis, NI-424 combined with a CD detector can provide reliable quantitation.

Reference application:
Anions and Organic Acids – NI-424

Additional Comments

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