Ion exchange chromatography uses an insoluble matrix with electrostatically bound ions that can reversibly exchange with ions in a solution. The technique separates charged compounds like proteins that differ by a single amino acid. It works by attracting oppositely charged analytes to a stationary phase made of an inert support coupled to positive or negative functional groups, which the analytes can exchange with to bind to the matrix and be separated from other compounds based on their charge.

1. ION EXCHANGE CROMOMATOGRAPHY
• INTRODUCTION
• Ion exchange chromatography may be defined as reversible exchange
of ions in the solution with ions electrostatically bound to some sort
of insoluble matrix or a stationary phase.
• The technique is extremely useful in the separation of charged
compounds for example proteins differing by only one charged amino
acid.
• Ion exchange chromatography is a distinct principle of
chromatography performed in the column.

2. Principle of ion exchange chromatography
• Ion exchange chromatography relies on the attraction between
oppositely charged stationary phase, known as an ion exchanger, and
analyte.
• The ion exchanger consists of an inert support medium coupled
covalently to positive(anion exchanger) or negative (cation exchanger)
functional groups.
• To these covalently bound functional groups the oppositely charged
ions are bounded (mobile counter ion), which will be exchanged with
like charge ions in the sample having charge magnitude more than
the ions bound to the matrix.

3. Cont.
• Thus if anion exchange chromatography is performed, negatively
charged sample components will interact more with the stationary
phase and will be exchanged for like charged ions already bounded to
the matrix.

4. working
• Consider a column having E-Y+ cation exchanger in which E-is a
negative charged exchanger and Y+ is the mobile counter ion.
• Let X+ bet the cation in the sample having charge greater than Y+
• The X+ ion can exchange sites with the counter ion Y+ with satisfying
the following relationship.
• Bounded interest of ion (X-) can now be eluded.

5. regeneration.
• Cation exchange resins are regenerated by treatment with acid, then
washing with water
• Anion exchange reins are regenerated by treatment with NaOH, then
washing with water