I'm now analysising the water-soluble ions in atmopsheric aerosol. With ultrasonic concussion and filtering impurity, the anion and cation from the particle sample are examined in Ion Chromatography System(IC) separately.
We test $\ce{Cl-, SO4^2-, NO3-}$ and $\ce{Ca^2+, Mg^2+, Na+, NH4+, K+}$ as 8 major ion species to quantify the concentration level and seasonal variation in the sampling area.
But when I combine the anion and cation data together for same particle sample, the ratio of [ Total charge of anion]/[Total charge of cation] are much larger than 1.
In my opinion, the cation and anion inside particle should keep the balance of charge. The 8 ion species I choose should take up the majority of the total water-soluble ions (added with $\ce{F-}$, organic acid radical, etc).
I have also searched some paper, some results of their ion-sample are also not keep the balance, but some observed.
Are the ratio of (+-)charges differed by sampling sites? The anion especially $\ce{SO4^2-}$ are larger comparing with the cation species. Are there any missing cation that I have not deteced?