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Reversed-phase systems have been developed that permit the detection and quantification of down to 0.1 nmole of non-UV-absorbing cations and anions using a UV detector. The samples give positive or negative peaks depending on their charge and retention relative to the UV-absorbing ionic component in the mobile phase. The relative detector response has a maximum, which can be considerably more than 100%, when the sample and the UV-absorbing mobile phase ion have about the same retention. Detection and separation studies on, e.g., sulphonates, sulphates, carboxylates, amino acids, dipeptides and alkylammonium compounds of different degrees of substitution are described.