derivatization of triethanolamine

[frasmx]

Hi All,

I am looking for method for testing triethanolamine in a cleaning product by HPLC-UV. What would be a good derivatisating agent for HPLC?. In the laboratory do not have a gas chromatograph at the moment.


Thanks
Frank

[sepscientologist]

I like ortho phthalaldehyde with n-acetyl cysteine in borate buffer.
Derivatization makes it nice and hydrophobic too so the RP
HPLC will work well too.

[Consumer Products Guy]

I am looking for method for testing triethanolamine in a cleaning product

Use GC, nonpolar capillary. Dissolve in DMF, make trimethylsilyl derivatives by adding reagent and shaking. Easy. TEA will be quantitated even if there are fatty acids associated with it as a TEA-soap.

[juddc]

@ CPG - OP doesn't have a GC.

[Consumer Products Guy]

@ CPG - OP doesn't have a GC.

OP doesn't have a GC - YET. A lab that tests cleaning products NEEDS a GC to be able to do a decent job. And not just for this - what about assay of alcohols, glycol ethers, etc. ?

[juddc]

No disagreement there, but it doesn't address his question directly and we don't know if this is a one-off oddball or a bread and butter issue for his lab. I get all sorts of oddball analyses that are typically done one way or another, but with a little creativity and luck CAN be done in a completely different way. Case in point: I've assayed for ppb levels of Fe2+ by reversed phase HPLC. I know that's not ususally how it's done, but my AAS is in a crate in the basement, the matrix was simple, with a few days of fiddling it got done, and everyone went home happy. It beats saying "no" and is more fun than sending samples out...