Abstract
Dissolved species of lanthanum in the solutions which contained ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and L-tryptophan, respectively, were evaluated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The stability of the species of La complexes during the cation-exchange chromatographic separation process was discussed. The results indicated that the speciation of lanthanum in the solution was remarkably influenced by the dissociation of the La species, which is in turn depended on the cation-exchange column selected.