| Abstract: | Poly(crown ether)-catalysed derivatization of lower fatty acids with p-bromophenacyl bromide or pentafluorobenzyl bromide has been used for their determination in gaseous samples by gas chromatography (employing either flame-ionization or electron-capture detection). Stontium hydroxide was employed as a base for the derivatization, taking advantage of the fact that a column packed with strontium hydroxide-coated glass beads is very suitable for preconcentration of the fatty acids from ambient air. In situ derivatization of lower fatty acids, preconcentrated on the glass beads as their strontium salts, proceeded nearly quantitatively in acetonitrile. Traces of lower fatty acids in artificial sample gases could be determined successfully using this conventional derivatization followd by direct injection of the reaction mixture into a gas chromatograph. |
