Ionikromatografia

Ionikromatografia, also known as ion-exchange chromatography, is a chromatographic technique used to separate ions and polar molecules based on their charge. The separation is performed on compounds that carry an electrical charge. In this method, the stationary phase is a charged solid support, typically an ion-exchange resin. The mobile phase is a liquid, usually an aqueous buffer, that carries the sample through the stationary phase. Ions with a charge opposite to that of the stationary phase are attracted to and bind with the stationary phase. Ions with the same charge will be repelled and elute faster. Separation occurs as different ions bind with varying affinities to the stationary phase, allowing them to be eluted at different times by changing the composition of the mobile phase, often by increasing the ionic strength or changing the pH. This technique is widely used in biochemistry for the purification of proteins, amino acids, and nucleic acids, as well as in environmental analysis for determining the concentration of inorganic ions in water samples. It is also applied in industrial processes for water softening and the recovery of valuable ions.