XPREP Combustion Ion Chromatography (C-IC)

Automated Sample Preparation Solution for the Analysis of Total Fluorine, Chlorine, Bromine, and Iodine by Combustion Ion Chromatography Method.

C-IC is used as a complementary screening technique to LC-MS/MS for the analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by determining total adsorbable organic fluorine (AOF) as an indicator of the presence of fluorinated compounds.

The analysis consists of a series of steps as follows:

1. Introduce sample
   Liquid, solid or semisolid samples are introduced into the horizonal furnace using an automatic sample changer.
2. Perform pyrolysis
   Samples are decomposed in the presence of humidified oxygen at high temperature (800–1100 ˚C).
3. Trap volatiles
   Volatile products are trapped in an aqueous absorbing solution, which may contain phosphate as an internal standard for calibration.
4. Perform ion analysis
   Samples in the absorption solution are transferred to the IC system to determine the concentrations of individual halides and sulfur species (e.g., sulfite, sulfate, and thiosulfate). Total sulfate can be determined by further oxidizing the sulfur species using hydrogen peroxide.

This instrument supports research on sustainability, environment, and energy at Rice University thanks to the financial participation of the Rice WaTER Institute and the Carbon Hub.

The common applications of this instrument are Environmental Monitoring (e.g. PFAS Monitoring), Petrochemicals, (Bio)Fuels, Lubricants, Organic Solvents & Chemicals, Polymers (raw materials and final products).

Additionally, the instrument offers an accessory, the Xprep-A6. This is a standard in AOX and AOF analysis, providing laboratories with the flexibility to adapt to industry demands. Whether for traditional AOX applications or pioneering AOF analyses, the Xprep-A6 delivers precision, durability, and cost-effectiveness to absorb the AOX and AOF content in an activated carbon cartridge