Analysis of special surfactants by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
Multidimensional gas-chromatographic analyses of olesochemically based nonionic, anionic and several cationic surfactants in industrial cleaners are demonstrated. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry allows the simultaneous determination of fatty alcohols, fatty alcohol sulphates and alkyl polyglucosides. In addition, the determination of fatty alcohol ethoxylates up to C(10)EO(8) (highest degree of ethoxylation) and C(18)EO(5) (longest C-chain at an ethoxylation degree of five) and the analysis of fatty alcohol alkoxylates that contain ethoxy (EO) and propoxy (PO) groups could be realized. Because of decomposition in the injector and a weak EI-fragmentation, cationic surfactants such as alkyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride could also be identified by their characteristic fragments. Thermogravimetric analyses confirmed that the temperature in a normal GC injector is not high enough to cause thermal decomposition of esterquats. However, we could demonstrate that a modified silylation procedure forms decomposition products of esterquats in the GC injector which are detectable by GCxGC-(TOF)MS and allows the identification of such GC-atypical analytes.
Wulf
Volker
V
Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Wuppertal, Gauss-Str. 20, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany.
Wienand
Nils
N
Wirtz
Michaela
M
Kling
Hans-Willi
HW
Gäb
Siegmar
S
Schmitz
Oliver J
OJ
D000838:Anions / Q000737:chemistry; D002412:Cations / Q000737:chemistry; D003902:Detergents / Q000737:chemistry*; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000737:chemistry; D005233:Fatty Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013818:Thermogravimetry
D000838:Anions; D002412:Cations; D003902:Detergents; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005233:Fatty Alcohols; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; C009546:triethanolamine