Indirect photometric chromatography was applied to the detection and quantification of iodide ion in aqueous solutions. A Nucleosil SB column containing the trimethylamine functional group was utilized in this HPLC study to compare the selectivity and reproducibility of copper (II) nitrate, trimesic acid, and phthalic acid eluents. Trimesic acid eluent was the strongest eluent, R.(I~)=3.5min, followed by phthalic acid, R.(I~ )=14.6min, and copper nitrate, R. (I~)=15.5min, assuming optimum conditions. Both aromatic eluents were held onto the column by adsorption reactions with the styrene-divinylbenzene matrix of the resin. Irreversible column damage was the result. Coupled with the fact that the copper nitrate was such a weak eluent, it was concluded that these eluents were unsuitable for the IPC method in obtaining quantitative results in the detection of iodide ion
