title: Separation and determination of homogenous fatty alcohol ethoxylates by liquid chromatography with mulitstage mass spectrometry.
abstract: Alcohol ethoxylates (AEs) are a significant component of a stream of surfactants directed to the aquatic environment. The aim of this work was the investigation of the dependence of the analytical signals of homogeneous AE homologues on liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry conditions, as well as the separation of AEs from the water matrix and, on this basis, the development of an analytical procedure suitable for the determination of AEs in environmental samples. Homogeneous homologues containing dodecyl moiety and 2-9 oxyethylene subunits were investigated. The analytical signals of the investigated homologues were optimized in terms of concentration of ammonium acetate in the mobile phase (optimum 5 mM) and a column temperature (optimum 35°C) of the liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry system. A separation of AEs from the water matrix by liquid-liquid extraction (ethyl acetate, chloroform) or solid-phase extraction (C18 , styrene divinylbenzene, H-RX) was investigated. In a model investigation, the best recoveries (>90%) were obtained with a styrene divinylbenzene cartridge eluted with a 1:1 mixture of chloroform and methanol. However, much worse recoveries were obtained from the river water sample. Better results were obtained for liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Recoveries of 62-80% were obtained for homologues having 4-9 oxyethylene subunits, at the lowest spike.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry and Technical Electrochemistry, Poznan University of Technology, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zembrzuska
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Budnik
authors.forename: Zenon
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lukaszewski
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D005233:Fatty Alcohols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D005233:Fatty Alcohols; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Alcohol ethoxylates; Liquid-liquid extraction; River water; Solid-phase extraction; liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry