Determination of Rare Earth Metal Ions of Mixed Rare Earth Chloride with Capillary Ion Electrophoresis

The separation of rare earth metal ions by capillary ion electrophoresis in the presence of imidazole as UV-absorbing background electrolyte and α-hydroxyisobutyric acid as the complexing agent with indirect UV absorbance was investigated. Several experimental condition influenced on separation was atudied. Using 0.02mol/L imidazole containing 8×10^-3/L α-hydroxyisobutyric acid(pH3.4) as a carrier electrolytr, the fourteen rare earth metal iorns were separated within 10min under a positive voltage of 10.0kV.The content of La、Ce、Pr、Nd、Sm in rare earth chloride sample from Gansu Rare Earth Company was determined successfully with this method.