Native ethylene glycol in wine: Application of a dead volume free,very fast “deans heart-cut” system on-line with multi-chromatography

Data about the existence of native HO? CH₂? CH₂? OH (MEG) in natural wines and champagne has led to delicate questions because of legal decisions already made to declare wine or champagne illegal for sale if the MEG concentrations found are above 10 mg/liter. Action has been taken because of the DEG (diethylene glycol) disaster in European wines of 1985…86. An incorrect legal decision was made due to the belief that MEG cannot be produced biochemically by grape vines. A further reason may be lack of correct data on native MEG trace concentrations, as a result of the special behavior of this diol. As first member of a homologous series whose higher members (C₄) are normally found in all wines at quite high concentration levels, MEG shows extremely adsorptive behavior. The solution of the chromatographic problems is summarized in this paper. MEG concentrations in Riesling as example are in the range of 2 to 6 mg/liter and can easily be increased by biotechnological steps to a level of around 10 to 60 mg/liter. This is again due to the specific adsorptive behavior of MEG, which can be enriched on filter surfaces and displaced when the wine acidity changes with changing types. In order to control and guarantee the qualitative and quantitative results of MEG analyses we used a combination of Deans heart cutting on-line with Multi-Chromatography. It was easy to produce false data by many otherwise useful single column or two-dimensional separation processes, etc.     

Enthalpies of sorption of linear hydrocarbons (C2–C8) and chloroderivatives of methane and ethylene on the surface of hydrotalcite

Differential molar adsorption enthalpies (DMAE) were determined by gas chromatographic measurements of specific retention volume of vapors on the surface of two forms of Mg–Al hydrotalcite. A linear dependence of the DMAE on the number of the carbon atoms in hydrocarbons was observed for both form of hydrotalcite. The dependence of the differential molar adsorption enthalpies on the number of chlorine atoms in organic molecules is discussed. A linear dependence of DMAE on the molecular weight of chloroderivatives of methane and ethylene on the basic form in an order monochloromethane < dichloromethane < trichloromethane or vinylidene chloride < 1,1-dichloroethylene < trichloroethylene was found.     

Determination of styrene in olive oil by an automatic purge-and-trap system coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Summary A new gas chromatographic method using an automatic purge-and-trap system coupled to a GC with mass selective detection to analyze styrene at the parts-per-trillions (ng kg^–1) level is described. The method shows a good sensitivity and the detection limit is 10 ng kg^–1 with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 4.7% for 164 ng kg^–1 styrene in olive oil. This analytical method has been successfully applied to the analysis of styrene in extra-virgin olive oil from the European market.     

Critical evaluation of gas standards based on hydrogen

Summary Six commercial hydrogen standards containing helium, oxygen, nitrogen, methane and carbon dioxide at trace levels were analyzed by gas chromatography, for periods up to 105 days. The concentrations, in the range of 0–120 μmol mol⁻¹, were stable (with the exception of oxygen) but often significantly different from the certified values provided by the suppliers, especially for helium, oxygen and nitrogen. Concurrently, some experiments were carried out to verify the stability of gas mixtures based on hydrogen stored in cylinders submitted to different chemical and physical treatments. The causes that led to the deviations observed, as well as the decreases in oxygen, are discussed. Presented at the 21^st ISC held in Stuttgart, Germany, 15^th–20^th September, 1996.     

The variation of carrier gas viscosities with temperature

After describing simplified equations exspressing the temparature dependency of the viscosity of carrier gases (helium, nitrogen and hydrogen ) relative to a base value, absolute relationships based on the kinetic theory of gases are discussed. Comparative data obtained using various calculation methods are given and are compared to measured values. Based on the kinetic relationshipsm, of viscosity. Finally, the influence of pressure on the viscosity is also briefly discussed. As a supplement, Viscosity data are tabulated for the three gases in the range of 0°C to 400°C in increments of 2 K, calculated using the kinetic relationships.     

Identification of chlorinated sulfur compounds in pulp mill effluents by GC-MS and GC-AED

Summary Three chlorinated dimethyl sulfones and five chlorinated thiophenes have been identified in the alkaline extraction liquor from a bleach plant by gas chromatography with atomic emission detection (GC-AED) and with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The information on elemental content obtained by GC-AED enabled a rapid screening of the sulfur compounds and provided important structural information complementary to the mass spectral data. Quantitation was accomplished by GC-AED based on universal calibration.     

Chiral recognition in the resolution of enantiomers by GLC

Summary Chiral recognition of many enantiomeric solutes by a chiral amide stationary phase is based mainly on hydrogen bonding. A chiral-recognition-factor CHI is proposed, given by the difference of the enthalpy change in the enantiomer discrimination, standardized with respect to the specific interaction of the solutes with the diamide core of the stationary phase. The r?le of the entropy part is also discussed. By extrapolation of the retention behaviour to elevated temperature, peak inversion of enantiomers is predicted. Presented at the 15th International Symposium on Chromatography, Nürnberg, October 1984     

Gas chromatographic trace analysis of underivatized nitrophenols

Summary A method for the gas chromatographic trace analysis of underivatized nitrophenols in ground-water is presented. Using a highly de-activated separation system a satisfactory precision for their quantitative GC analysis could be achieved by avoiding condensation of the solvent and by fast injection of the sample. The reproducibility of the peak areas of eleven nitrophenols in ethylacetate was <5 % RSD. Using a nitrogen-phosphorus detector detection limits were in a range from 10 to 30 pg. Within the concentration range from 0.1 to 10 ng μl⁻¹ the calibrations were linear with correlation coefficients >0.992. The approach described was applied to the analysis of nitrophenols in ground-water near a former ammunition plant, after preconcentration by continuous liquid/liquid extraction with ethylacetate. Using a GC-MS technique and retention times various nitrophenols were identified and then quantified in the μg/L-range by applying NPD.