Quick determination of malodor-causing fatty acids in manure by capillary electrophoresis.
The analysis of odor components in livestock waste has been extensively studied. Past research has identified volatile fatty acids, especially from C3 to C6, as indicators of malodor. Originally, the odorous components were analyzed by gas chromatography after a tedious absorption and troublesome extraction procedure or by a subjectively olfactory system or sense of smell. Thus, there is a need for the development of highly specific, quantitative analytical methods. In this research, a comprehensive liquid manure analysis approach-capillary electrophoresis (CE) with a systematic optimization procedure-was adopted to measure the concentration of propanoic acid (C2H5COOH, C3), butyric acid (C3H7COOH, C4), valeric acid (C4H9COOH, C5) and caproic acid (C5H11COOH, C6) in swine manure. Liquid samples after filtration were injected into CE directly. The following condition is finally proposed: fused-silica capillary, effective length 40 cm, 50 microm I.D.; buffer, 20 mM Tris and 10 mM p-anisate, pH 8.0; voltage 30 kV; temperature 25 degrees C. The results showed that CE provided a quantitative analysis of volatile fatty acids in liquid manure at the ppm level with minimum sample needed (nanoliter). Moreover, the use of CE is a timesaving technique; one measurement for the separation of those VFAs could be completed within 10 min.
Chi
Fung-Hwa
FH
Department of Environmental Engineering, Kun-Shan University of Technology, Tainan 710, Taiwan, ROC. chif@mail.ksut.edu.tw
Lin
Pearl Hsiu-Ping
PH
Leu
Min-Her
MH
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D020148:Butyric Acid / Q000032:analysis; D002208:Caproates / Q000032:analysis; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000379:methods*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008372:Manure; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010421:Pentanoic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D011422:Propionates / Q000032:analysis; D013552:Swine; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014835:Volatilization
D002208:Caproates; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008372:Manure; D010421:Pentanoic Acids; D011422:Propionates; D020148:Butyric Acid; C038780:n-pentanoic acid