title: An effective pre-treatment method for the determination of short-chain fatty acids in a complex matrix by derivatization coupled with headspace single-drop microextraction.
abstract: We have developed a sample preparation method involving derivatization combined with headspace single-drop microextraction (HS-SDME) for the determination of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in complex matrices. The derivatization of SCFAs was conducted using the BF3/ethanol method prior to HS-SDME. The HS-SDME extraction conditions for the derivatization products (ethyl esters) of SCFAs were optimized using 1.0μL of dibutylphthalate (DBP), 1000rpm stirring speed, 30% (w/v) NaCl, 20min extraction time, and 7mL of sample solution in a 12mL vial. Quantitative determination of ethyl esters was performed using gas chromatography (GC). Linear calibration curves and excellent reproducibility were obtained using these optimized extraction conditions. Compared with our previous work, the significantly lower detection limits (0.11, 0.017, 0.0060, and 0.0024μg/mL for C2 to C5 SCFAs, respectively) indicate that this new method is suitable for quantitative analysis of SCFAs in complex matrices, such as the RuO4 oxidation products of kerogen or asphaltene.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry (SKLOG), Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry (SKLOG), Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address: yunli1002@163.com.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry (SKLOG), Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Yongqiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry (SKLOG), Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Chenchen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry (SKLOG), Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Xiaotao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000032:analysis*; D059627:Liquid Phase Microextraction / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D004952:Esters; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Derivatization; Fatty acid ethyl esters; Headspace single-drop extraction; Short-chain fatty acids