Derivatization of β-propiolactone in biological mixtures for enhanced gas chromatographic mass spectrometric determinations

Abstract

Detection and identification of low levels (<200 ppb) of free P-propiolactone in complex biological mixtures were achieved through in siru chemical derivatization and subsequent gas chromatographic mass spectrometric determination of the products. P-Propiolactone, when reacted with octadecylamine, followed by trimethylsilylation, yielded a derivative which exhibited both good gas chromatographic characteristics and highly interpretable mass spectrometric data.