Comparison of ion chromatography and capillary electrophoresis for the determination of inorganic ions

Abstract

The techniques of ion chromatography and capillary electrophoresis are compared as analytical methods for the determination of inorganic anions and cations. Comparison is made in the areas of stage of development, separation efficiency, separation selectivity, analytical performance parameters, method development procedures, applications, strenghts and weaknesses, and future directions. It is shown that the two techniques are complementary rather than competitive, especially with regard to their separation selectivities and the type of applications to which they are most suited.