HILIC Separation of Common Preservatives – Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid and EDTA

Citric acid, ascorbic acid, and EDTA are widely used preservatives in the food and pharmaceutical industries. These compounds are highly polar and behave as weak organic acids with limited UV absorbance. Using the Zodiac HST N column, which employs mixed-mode HILIC and strong anion-exchange mechanisms, effective retention and separation of these analytes can be achieved.

Unlike conventional HILIC columns, the Zodiac HST N features embedded acidic and basic ionizable groups, enabling dual-mode interaction — ion exchange and hydrophilic partitioning. This allows efficient separation with lower acetonitrile content in the mobile phase. The method is compatible with ELSD, LC/MS, UV, and Corona CAD detection techniques.