How to Measure Chlorine Using HPLC

Chlorine pool.

Chlorine is an element that is commonly found bonded to sodium to form table salt. Chemicals containing chlorine are often used to disinfect water in pools and municipal water supplies. HPLC stands for high-performance liquid chromatography. It is an analytical tool used to separate solutions and identify the particular components.

Things You'll Need

• Reverse phase HPLC coupled to a UV-Vis spectrometer
• Methanol
• Water

Instructions

1. Turn on the HPLC.

2. Make a solution of 65 percent methanol and 35 percent water by volume. This will be the mobile phase.

3. Run the mobile phase though the column to flush out any residual contaminants on the column.

4. Inject the sample believed to contain chlorine into the HPLC and start a trial run.

5. Watch for a peak to appear at 240 um (micrometers), which indicates the presence of chlorine in the sample.

6. Flush the column again and repeat for each sample.

Tips & Warnings

• Each HPLC is different. Read the instructions manual before attempting to use the instrument.

• Never allow an air bubble to get into the HPLC. This will destroy the column.

References

• Springerlink: HPLC Detection of Chlorine
• Chemguide: HPLC