title: Determination of low molecular weight organic acids in soil, plants, and water by capillary zone electrophoresis.
abstract: Determination of low molecular weight organic acids in soils and plants by capillary zone electrophoresis was accomplished using a phthalate buffer and indirect UV detection mode. The influence of some crucial parameters, such as pH, buffer concentration and surfactant were investigated. A good separation of seven organic acids was achieved within 5 min using an electrolyte containing 15 mmol L(-1) potassium hydrogen phthalate, 0.5 mmol L(-1) myristyltrimethylammonium bromide (MTAB), and 5% methanol (MeOH) (v/v) at pH 5.60, separation voltage -20 kV, and temperature 25 degrees C. The relative standard deviation (n=5) of the method was found to be in range 0.18-0.56% for migration time and 3.2-4.8% for peak area. The limit of detection ranged between 0.5 micro mol L(-1) to 6 micro mol L(-1) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The recovery of standard organic acids added to real samples ranged from 87 to 119%. This method was simple, rapid and reproducible, and could be applied to the simultaneous determination of organic acids in environmental samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bi-Xia
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiao-Quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Shan
mesh_terms: D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012987:Soil; D014867:Water