What is extracted ion chromatography?

Extracted ion chromatography is a type of liquid chromatography that is used to selectively analyze specific ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio. In this technique, the sample is initially subjected to solvent extraction and then the resulting extract is subjected to chromatography. The process involves separating the target analytes from other interfering compounds in the sample, focusing on a specific ion of interest and then measuring its retention time and quantifying its peak area or height. This technique is especially useful for the separation and quantification of metal ions in environmental samples, as well as the detection of trace amounts of drug metabolites or other bioactive compounds in biological matrices. The sensitivity and selectivity of extracted ion chromatography depend on the choice of extraction solvent, stationary phase, mobile phase, and mass spectrometer used for analysis. It is a powerful analytical tool for quantitative and qualitative analysis of analytes in complex mixtures.