title: Flow injection and solvent extraction with intelligent segment separation. Determination of quaternary ammonium ions by ion-pairing.
abstract: Organic solvent segments are introduced into a premixed stream of the sample and an ion-pairing dye by a 3-way valve at regular intervals. The major mechanism of "extraction" in such a system appears to be the adsorption of the ion-pair on conduit walls and subsequent elution by the organic solvent. Following passage through the conduit, the immiscible organic segment is isolated in the loop of a 6-port valve; loop filling is sensed by a pair of conductivity sensors located respectively at the fill and drain ports of the loop and appropriate logic circuitry. The isolated segment is then injected into a purely organic carrier and detected by a suitable optical detector. Results are reported for a number of parametric studies that characterize this system. With immobilized adsorbents on conduit walls for preconcentration, a limit of detection of < 10(-7)M tetrabutylammonium ion can be obtained with bromothymol blue as the ion-pairing agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1061, U.S.A.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lindgren
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Dasgupta