Patent ID: 9400268
Filing Date: 2016-07-26
CPC Classification: B01D,G01N

Claim Text:
1. An electrolytic method for suppressing liquid eluent containing previously separated sample analyte anions, counterions to said sample anions, and non-sample anions suppressible to weak acids; using an electrolytic device comprising a housing defining at least a sample stream flow channel and an ion receiving flow-through channel, said sample stream flow channel being adjacent to said ion receiving flow channel; a first ion exchange barrier which permits ion transport and blocks bulk liquid flow disposed between said sample stream flow channel and said ion receiving flow channel, said sample stream flow channel including an upstream channel portion and a downstream channel portion; and high capacity ion exchange medium disposed in said downstream channel portion; said method comprising applying a first current across said upstream channel portion to substantially completely suppress said counterions and to convert said non-sample anions to weak acids in said upstream channel portion by transport of said counterion across said first ion exchange barrier; applying a second current across said downstream channel portion to substantially reduce the noise of said weak acids during subsequent detection, said second current being at a magnitude of less than 10% of the magnitude of said first current.