Thermo Fisher Scientific has developed an ion chromatography method with suppressed conductivity detection for sensitive determination of inorganic anions and carboxylic acids (fluoride, acetate, formate, mesylate, chloride, nitrate, succinate, malonate, sulfate, and oxalate) in airborne particulate matter (PM_2.5).

Application Note 1107: Determination of Anions and Carboxylic Acids in Urban Fine Particles (PM_2.5) demonstrates that this new method can determine more analytes relevant to air contamination than either of the two standard methods currently in use. The determination is performed using a high-pressure ion chromatography system, the Thermo Scientific^™ Dionex^™ ICS-5000⁺ Reagent-Free^™ HPIC^™ system, equipped with a anion-exchange column, the Dionex IonPac AS11-HC column.

The two standard IC methods currently used to determine the anion content of PM_2.5 are the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Method 26A and ASTM International’s Standard Test Method ASTM D5085-02. However, the number of analytes detected and the method sensitivity of both approaches are inadequate when compared to newer technologies and current knowledge of air contaminants. Thus, organizations responsible for monitoring and managing air quality need new methods with greater sensitivity and expanded detection capabilities.

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