The analysis of common anions (fluoride, chloride, bromide, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate) can be used to measure traces of contamination in a cleaning validation, exposure to salts or acids (NIOSH 7903), environmental testing (EPA 300.0), or exposure to a variety of common products. Typically this test is conducted by ion chromatography (IC).  While a number of traditional wet chemistry methods exist for individual anions, IC gives results for many common anions in one analysis.  Many other inorganic and organic anions (e.g. azide, perchlorate, iodide, organic acid anions, and complex phosphates) can be determined using IC and other forms of chromatography.

The analy tical test conditions for this analysis using a Dionex chromatograph are as follows:

• Column:   Dionex AS9-SC
• Eluant:     2mM Na₂CO₃, 0.75 mM NaHCO₃
• Flow:       2.0 mL/min
• Injection Volume: 300 microliters
• Detection: Suppressed Conductivity

Note that the form that an anion like phosphate takes will depend on pH (H2PO₄^-1, HPO₄^-2, or PO₄^-3) . This analysis reports the total of all such forms.  Detection limits are approximately 0.02 ug/mL in solution.