Sensitive detection methods for nitrite (NO2
–) and nitrate (NO3
–) ions are essential
to understand the nitrogen cycle and for environmental protection
and public health. Herein, we report a detection method that combines
ion-chromatographic separation of NO2
– and NO3
–, on-line photochemical conversion
of these ions to peroxynitrite (ONOO–) by irradiation
with a 222 nm excimer lamp, and chemiluminescence from the reaction
between luminol and ONOO–. The detection limits
for NO2
– and NO3
– were 0.01 and 0.03 μM, respectively, with linear ranges of
0.010–2.0 and 0.10–3.0 μM, respectively, at an
injection volume of 1 μL. The results obtained by the proposed
method for seawater analysis corresponded with those of a reference
method (AutoAnalyzer based on the Griess reaction). As luminol chemiluminescence
can measure ONOO– at picomolar concentrations, our
method is expected to be able to detect NO2
– and NO3
– at picomolar concentrations
owing to the high conversion ratio to ONOO– (>60%),
assuming that contamination and background chemiluminescence issues
can be resolved. This method has the potential to emerge as an innovative
technology for NO2
– and NO3
– detection in various samples.