H-POINT STANDARD ADDITIONS METHOD FOR RESOLUTION OF OVERLAPPED CHROMATOGRAPHIC PEAKS WITH A CONVENTIONAL FLUORESCENCE DETECTOR - DETERMINATION OF PHENOL AND CRESOLS IN WATERS

The H-Point Standard Additions Method (HPSAM) is proposed in order to resolve overlapping peaks in liquid chromatography by using a conventi onal fluorescence detector. The method uses as analytical signals the heights or the areas obtained at two previously selected emission wave lengths, and good results are obtained for highly overlapping peaks wi th highly overlapping fluorescence spectra. The principal benefits of the method are the ease of finding the required wavelengths, its insen sitivity to changes in the retention time of the peak from one injecti on to another, and the possibility of using it in highly or only parti ally overlapping peaks. We have applied the method to the determinatio n of phenol and cresols in water, resolving by the proposed method the overlapping peaks of m- and p- cresol.