Simultaneous Analysis of Underivatized Formic Acid and Volatile Fatty Acids (C2-C5) using the Brevis GC-2050

New Organic Monitoring Techniques
Poster Presentation

Presented by R. Marfil-Vega
Prepared by Y. Lin
Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, 7102 Riverwood Drive, Columbia, MD, 21046, United States


Contact Information: [email protected]; 410-910-0884

ABSTRACT

Analysis of low molecular carboxylic acids, or Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs), is essential in environmental samples, especially in wastewater and sludge treatment, hydraulic fracturing operations and landfills. While short chain (C2- C7) VFAs can easily be analyzed in free form using gas chromatograph with flame ionization detector (GC-FID), formic acid commonly requires derivatization to methyl formate to be detected by an FID. Detectors such as barrier discharge ionization detector (BID) can be used for the analysis of underivatized formic acid. The use of a methanizer (Jetanizer) is another alternative for the determination of formic acid in free form with FID.
In this work we demonstrate the simultaneous analysis of underivatized formic acid along with other volatile fatty acids, from C2 to C5, in a single injection in less than 10 minutes using the Brevis GC-2050 with a Jetanizer for FID detection. This method overcomes the drawbacks from sample derivatization (time consuming and prone to error) and provides a good alternative for the analysis of formic acid and other VFAs using a small footprint and common instrument in environmental labs.