Development of a HPLC Method for Analysis of Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonates and Detection by UV and FTIR Spectroscopy Using Thermospray Interface

 A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method, with acetic acid and sodium perchlorate phase modifiers, was developed to separate a mixture of linear alkylbenzene sulphonates (LAS), containing 10 to 13 carbon atoms. The effects of methanol-water compositions and concentrations of used modifiers were investigated and compared. The separation achieved with 50 mg L⁻¹ acetic acid was found satisfactory whereas a concentration of 10 g L⁻¹ sodium perchlorate was preferred. Chromatograms obtained with UV and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) detection showed almost similar features and HPLC-FTIR interface spectra of LAS components exhibited excellent agreement of absorption features to those of standard FTIR spectrum and no thermal degradation was found to occur. Received May 20, 1998 Revision March 25, 1999.