Extraction and isolation of linear alcohol ethoxylates from fish

The development of an analytical method for determination of alcohol ethoxy lates (AEs), important non-ionic surfactants, in fish is described. Combina tion of matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction with aluminum oxide clean-up allows for determination of AEs in fish samples with recoveries h igher than 75%. The use of internal standards allowed for correction of los ses during preparation of the individual samples. Incurred AE constituents could be quantified without integration being compromised by interferences for all compounds except for C14EO14. Parallel determinations of the concen trations of C-14-C13EO8 in fish by TLC-RAD and liquid scintillation countin g and by HPLC measurements after isolation and derivatization yielded very similar results demonstrating the validity of the isolation and measurement method. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.