Analytical characterization of PEG polymers by MEKC

Abstract

Characterization of PEGs with average molecular masses of up to 2000 has been achieved using MEKC with UV detection. A rapid derivatization procedure with phenyl isocyanate using microwave radiation, in order to introduce chromophore groups in PEGs, has been developed involving a reaction time of 60 s. Different optimized conditions in accordance with the molecular weight have been studied to obtain the oligomer separation. The weight-average molecular mass the number-average molecular mass and the degree of polydispersity (molecular mass distribution) were calculated for the different PEGs obtaining similar results with those certified for standards. A good precision was obtained for characterizing the different oligomers. Ethylene glycol was used as the internal standard for the analysis of low-molecular-weight PEGs. The developed method was satisfactorily applied to the characterization of these polymers in several real samples, such as lubricant eye drops, toothpaste, tap water and eye make-up remover.

Determination of Dodecanol and Short‐Chained Ethoxylated Dodecanols by LC–MS/MS (with Electrospray Ionization) After Their Derivatization (with Phenyl Isocyanate)

“…1S-see Supporting Information). The peaks of adducts which served as pseudomolecular ions in quantitative and qualitative analyzes of actual samples were based on the chromatographic peak areas for specific derivatives of AEO [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] . In case of C 12…”

“…Aliphatic alcohol ethoxylates (AE) are the most important group of non-ionic surfactants and are commonly found in surface water and wastewater [2]. This is associated with the scale of their production, which reached 1 billion tons in 2012 [3]. These compounds are characterized by rapid degradation and low toxicity of some of their biodegradation products, including the formation of free alcohol, ethoxylated polyols and short chain ethoxylated alcohols.…”

“…Phenyl isocyanate (PIC) was proposed previously as a derivatizating agent. PIC was used to derivatize AE in raw and treated sewage and river water [16] and was also often used to derivatize poly(ethylene glycol)s [1,3]. Detection of AE derivatives with phenyl isocyanate was conducted using an UV detector at 240 nm [16,33].…”

Capillary Electrophoresis

“…MEKC was used by Plata et al for the characterization of polyethylene glycols (PEGs) with average molecular masses up to 2000 Da. 212 Detection was achieved by introducing chromophore groups by derivatizing the PEGs with phenyl isocyanate for UV detection. Good precision was achieved and the method was applied to the characterization of these polymers in real samples.…”