Microporous membrane liquid-liquid extraction coupled on-line with normal-phase liquid chromatography for the determination of cationic surfactants in river and waste water
J. Norberg et al., Microporous membrane liquid-liquid extraction coupled on-line with normal-phase liquid chromatography for the determination of cationic surfactants in river and waste water, J CHROMAT A, 869(1-2), 2000, pp. 523-529
Membrane-based continuous liquid-liquid extraction combined on-line with no
rmal-phase liquid chromatography is proposed for the determination of catio
nic surfactants in complex aqueous samples. The technique has the potential
for complete automation. Selective enrichment of cationic surfactants from
spiked river water and waste-water samples with simultaneous removal of ma
trix constituents, followed by a quantitative transfer of the extract onto
a liquid chromatographic column and separation of the surfactant homologues
yielding low detection limits, has been realised. The homologues of alkyld
imethylbenzylammonium chloride (Dodigen 226) were chosen as model compounds
in the method development. Dodigen homologues were ion-paired with heptano
ic acid and extracted into chlorobutane by means of microporous membrane li
quid-liquid extraction. It was thereby possible to attain an enrichment of
over 250 times for one of the homologues, viz. the concentration in the org
anic liquid is 250 times higher than in the original sample. Detection limi
ts for the three best-detected homologues of the mixture were in the range
0.7-5 mu g/l in spiked river water samples. Ion-pair normal-phase liquid ch
romatography, again with heptanoic acid as counter-ion, gave the necessary
separation of the surfactant homologues. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All
rights reserved.