The Quantitative Measurement of Water by GC Using Ionic Liquid Capillary Columns

Klaus Buckendahl, Merck/Sigma-Aldrich Chemie GmbH, Taufkirchen, Germany
Gustavo Serrano, Milliporesigma/supelco, Bellefonte, Pa, USA
James L. Desorcie, Milliporesigma/supelco, Bellefonte, Pa, USA
Greg A. Baney, Milliporesigma/supelco, Bellefonte, Pa, USA
Katherine K. Stenerson, Milliporesigma/supelco, Bellefonte, Pa, USA.
Michael Halpenny, Milliporesigma/supelco, Bellefonte, Pa, USA
Michael D. Buchanan, Milliporesigma/supelco, Bellefonte, Pa, USA

The determination of water content in solvents, alcoholic beverages and various consumer products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, fuels, and petroleum products is one of the most common types of chemical testing. Many techniques such as gravimetric analysis, Karl Fischer Titration, near infra-red spectroscopy, gas chromatography (GC) and others have been used for water quantification with good results. [1] However, the limitations of these approaches can include high limits of detection, large sample sizes required for trace analysis, side reactions, the use of expensive consumables, and the production of chemical waste. Previous work by Prof. Daniel Armstrong and co-workers has described the use of ionic liquid GC capillary columns for the trace analysis of the water content in a wide variety of solvents. [2] These columns were capable of providing a rapid and quantitative determination of water contents using very small sample amounts. This paper further examines the characteristics of ionic liquid capillary columns for the GC analysis of water.)

[1.] S. Inagaki, et. al., Anal. Methods, 2015, 7, 4816-4820

[2.] R. Woods, et.al., LCGC Europe, Vol. 24, Issue 10, 2011