Original PaperReduction of chloride matrix effect using silver oxide as a precipitating reagent for the determination of trace anions in chloride-rich samples via ion chromatography A new method was developed for the determination of trace anions in chloride-rich samples via ion chromatography by reducing the concentration of chloride ions using silver oxide as a precipitating reagent. In this method the sample pretreatment was started with the addition of silver oxide powder followed by 8 min of stirring and 2 min of centrifugation at a speed of 1500 rpm. The supernatant was diluted with a 1:10 ratio using deionized water and filtered with a 0.22 lm NC filter. All the samples were analyzed in a Dionex ICS-2500 system with an ED50 electrochemical detector in conductivity mode. On the basis of Dionex IonPac AG18 (50 mm62 mm) and AS18 (250 mm62 mm) columns, 25 lL sample filtrate was eluted isocratically with a mobile phase of 32 mmol/L NaOH at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/ min and each eluted analyte was detected after postcolumn suppression via a Dionex anion suppressor ULTRA II (2 mm). With this method most of the common anions at mg/kg level in chloride-rich samples can be accurately quantified. By controlling the equivalent weight ratio of silver oxide to chloride in sample solutions and the time of pretreatment, the free silver and chloride ions in the sample solution are optimized such that most coexisting common anions can be determined simultaneously.