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HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHIC/MASS SPECTROMETRIC DETERMINATION OF VOLATILE CARBOXYLIC ACIDS USING ION-PAIR EXTRACTION AND THERMALLY INDUCED ALKYLATION
Citation:
Tsai, C., A. Sahil, J. McGuire, B. Karger, AND P. Vouros. HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHIC/MASS SPECTROMETRIC DETERMINATION OF VOLATILE CARBOXYLIC ACIDS USING ION-PAIR EXTRACTION AND THERMALLY INDUCED ALKYLATION. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-86/014.
Description:
Low molecular weight volatile carboxylic acids have been analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) using post-column derivatization and a moving belt interface. In order to prevent loss of the volatile solutes during transport to the mass spectrometer, the acids were ion paired with tetrabutylammonium counterions. Flash vaporization on the ion pairs into the mass spectrometer yielded butyl esters which were analyzed by chemical ionization MS. Aqueous samples containing the free carboxylic acids were analyzed by direct injection into the liquid chromatograph. Detection limits in the parts-per-billion range were achieved.