Use of Sulfonated Cation-Exchange Resin Based on Hypercrosslinked Polystyrene for the Separation of Organic Acids

The use of sulfonated cation-exchange resins based on hypercrosslinked polystyrene (HCPS) and highly cross-linked polystyrene–divinylbenzene (80% divinylbenzene) for the separation of organic acids was studied. The influence of the concentration of the eluent, temperature of the chromatographic column, and concentration of acetonitrile in the eluent on the retention of aliphatic carboxylic acids in ion-exclusion chromatography was examined. The optimal separation of organic acids on the HCPS sorbent is attained at 65°C with the use of 10 mM H2SO4with or without acetonitrile addition as the eluent. The sorbent based on HCPS in combination with spectrophotometric detection is promising for the determination of organic acids and other weakly ionized and neutral compounds with low molecular mass in samples of complex composition (juices and beer).