Use of column switching Ion Chromatography for the simultaneous determination of total nitrogen and phosphorus after microwave assisted persulphate digestion

A method for the simultaneous determination of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in environmental and wastewaters have been proposed. Samples were digested by alkaline solution in a microwave oven and the resulting solution were analysed by ion chromatography without any sample pretreatment. The excess of sulphate, generated by the digestion procedure, was eliminated by a column switching techniques by using two serially connected columns