SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF ETHYLENE-GLYCOL, PROPYLENE-GLYCOL, 1,3-BUTYLENE GLYCOL AND 2,3-BUTYLENE GLYCOL IN HUMAN SERUM AND URINE BY WIDE-BORE COLUMN GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY

A method has been developed for the separation and measurement of ethy lene glycol and three other glycols (propylene glycol, 1,3-butylene gl ycol and 2,3-butylene glycol) in biological samples by wide-bore colum n gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. The method used 1,3-propylene glycol (1,3-propanediol) as an internal standard. The m ethod was linear at least from 2 to 1000 mug/ml, with a detection limi t of 1 mug/ml. Analytical recoveries were 89-98% for the different con centrations. Precision studies showed coefficients of variation of 1.5 -7.7% for the different concentrations. The assay was applied to the a nalysis of biological samples from two patients who had ingested ethyl ene glycol and/or other glycols in a suicide attempt.