DETERMINATION OF TOTAL CARBONYL-COMPOUNDS IN AQUEOUS-MEDIA

A method for the quantitative determination of total carbonyl compound s in aqueous media has been developed. The analysis is based on the re action of 2,4-dinitrophenyl-hydrazine with aldehydes and the subsequen t formation of the quinoidal ion under basic conditions. The aldehydes react with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine in both ethanol and aqueous-eth anol media. The optimal wavelength to determine the total carbonyl com pounds is 425 nm where the molar absorption coefficient of saturated a ldehydes equals that of unsaturated aldehydes. The method can be used to determine all aldehydes in aqueous food media.