A Speciality Column for Surfactant Analysis - - Chromatography Online

Stay Connected
• Browse Archives
• Application Notes
• eNewsletter

Home / Follow Us / Podcasts / RSS / Bookstore

Enter your keyword

This Site Recommended Sites About Search

Publications Archives Techniques Multimedia Application Notes Columnists Subscribe Advertise Contact Us

Email | Print | Share | Save | License

Select each newsletter you wish to

A Speciality Column for Surfactant Analysis subscribe for:

Dec 2, 2005 ✔
e-Separations Solutions | Monthly
By: Xiaodong Liu, Andrea Heckenberg, Chris Pohl
THE APPLICATION NOTEBOOK
✔
LCGC Europe news update | Weekly
✔
LCGC Asia news update | Monthly

Surfactants are widely used in industrial, agricultural, pharmaceutical and consumer products (e.g.,  Name:
cleaning agents, pesticides, pharmaceutical formulations, laundry detergents, cosmetics, etc.).
 E-mail:
Their separation and identification can be challenging because of the diversity of surfactants and
complexity of the sample matrix. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is the preferred more info

technique because it both characterizes surfactants according to their compositions and quantifies
individual surfactants in a complex mixture. Surfactant analysis can be performed by reversed-
phase, normal phase, ion exchange and size exclusion chromatography, depending on the
surfactants of interest,1 but existing methods often suffer from problems such as poor peak shape
for cationic surfactants, complex detection schemes, or the need for multiple methods to
characterize all the surfactants in a sample. This application note describes the separation of
cationic, nonionic and anionic surfactants with a single method, a single column and
chromatographic run, and with no derivatization, using the new Acclaim Surfactant specialty
column.

Experimental

Separations were performed on a modular Summit HPLC System (Dionex, Sunnyvale, California,
USA) equipped with a P680 gradient pump, ASI-100 Autosampler, TCC-100 column oven and
UVD 340 detector. Chromeleon 6.5 Chromatography Management Software (Dionex, Sunnyvale,
California, USA) was used for system control and data processing. A Sedex 85 evaporative light-
scattering detector (Sedere, Alfortville, France) was used as the universal detector. An Acclaim CURRENT ARTICLES MOST READ
Surfactant column (5 µm, 4.6 × 150 mm) was used for all separations with an acetonitrile-
Extreme Leaks
ammonium acetate mobile phase system. Gradient elution was generated in situ with the
Kinetic Plots Made Easy
proportioning valve in P680 gradient pump from solvent 'A' (acetonitrile) and solvent 'B' (0.1 M
ammonium acetate, pH 5.4). The 30th Anniversary of the Minnesota
Chromatography Forum
Results Analytical Method Validation: Back to
Basics, Part I
Figure 1 shows the analysis of a mixture of one hydrotrope (sodium xylene
Trends in HPLC Column Usage
sulphonate), two cationic surfactants (octylphenoxyethoxyethyl dimethylbenzyl
Buffer Considerations for LC and LC–MS
ammonium chloride and lauryl benzyldimethyl ammonium chloride), one
nonionic surfactant (Triton X-100), and three anionic surfactants (sodium salts MORE ARTICLES

of decyl sulphate, dodecyl sulphate and LAS). All compounds were separated
with excellent resolution and peak shapes on an Acclaim Surfactant column
using a linear gradient. This separation demonstrates the ideal selectivity of the
Acclaim Surfactant column for simultaneous separation of different surfactant
Figure 1: Separation of classes. Under the same conditions, a conventional C18 column provided a
cationic, nonionic and
anionic surfactants and a vastly inferior separation for the same mixture, with no retention for xylene
hydrotrope in a single
run. sulphonate, poor resolution between anionic and nonionic surfactants, severe
SURVEY
peak tailing, and excessively long retention times for cationic surfactants.
Which stationary phase do you use in RP
Conclusion chromatography?
C18
The Acclaim Surfactant column offers unprecedented capability for analysing different types of

http://chromatographyonline.findanalytichem.com/lcgc/App+Notes+General/A-Speciality-Column-for-Surfactant-Analysis/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/211508[13-02-2010 11:14:45]
A Speciality Column for Surfactant Analysis - - Chromatography Online

C8
surfactants. The column is compatible with volatile mobile phases for separating anionic, cationic
and nonionic surfactants within a single chromatographic run, and detecting them by ELSD. Its C4

excellent peak shape for cationic surfactants, superior resolution of ethoxylated surfactant C1/C2
oligomers and compatibility with highly aqueous mobile phases, make the Acclaim Surfactant Phenyl
column ideal for quality assurance of individual surfactants, and suitable for the analysis of a
Cyano
variety of surfactant-containing formulations. These formulations include consumer products,
pharmaceuticals, plating baths for semiconductor manufacturing and environmental samples. Other

References

1. T.M. Schimit, Analysis of Surfactants, 2nd ed., Surfactant Science Series 96, Marcel Dekker,
Inc., New York, USA (2001).
ADVERTISEMENT

Spectrum Chemical : Cover your U.S. fine chemical

delivery with our distinguished distributors
Spectrum Chemical : USP reagent portfolio for a
variety of applications
Industry Leaders : Explore our leading providers for a
range of high quality chromatography equipment and
consumables
Industry Leaders : Discover our broad range of
providers catering to all your chromatography needs
More Related Links »

RATE THIS PAGE

COLUMNISTS

Low 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 High LC SPONSORED BY

TROUBLESHOOTING |
JOHN DOLAN
Too Little or Too Much
POST A COMMENT JANUARY 1, 2010
COLUMN WATCH | RON MAJORS
Please Complete The Form Below To Post Your Comment. Hydrogen as a Carrier Gas for GC
Bold = Required and GC–MS
Email Address Your email address will NOT be published. JANUARY 1, 2010

Display Name appears with your comment GC CONNECTIONS | JOHN V.

HINSHAW
City Upgrading Gas Chromatography
JANUARY 1, 2010
State
Country MS | THE PRACTICAL ART |
MICHAEL P. BALOGH
Remember Me: Yes No Solvent, Chemistry, and Other
Comment read our privacy policy Myths in LC–MS
DECEMBER 1, 2009

  Click here for more Columnists

Note: does not support HTML

All Comments submitted are subject to review, and may be delayed before posting. Comments will be posted at the discretion of the
editor. MULTIMEDIA

GPC/SEC Column Selection & Method

Development
FEBRUARY 4, 2010

Mobile Phase Optimization Strategies For

Reversed Phase HPLC: The Essential
CHROMacademy Guide
FEBRUARY 4, 2010

SFC Solutions: The State Of The Art

FEBRUARY 4, 2010

Advanced Analysis Of Biotherapeutics

JANUARY 14, 2010

Split / Splitless Injection: The Essential

ChromAcademy Guide
JANUARY 8, 2010

http://chromatographyonline.findanalytichem.com/lcgc/App+Notes+General/A-Speciality-Column-for-Surfactant-Analysis/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/211508[13-02-2010 11:14:45]
A Speciality Column for Surfactant Analysis - - Chromatography Online

MORE MULTIMEDIA

SPONSORED LINKS

Polymicro Technologies, your leader in fused silica capillary
tubing for chromatographic applications. Check out our technical
notes the next time you have a question.
Subscribe to Varian's FREE e-newsletter and receive the latest
Applications and Solutions.
Light Scattering for the Masses! Multi-Angle and dynamic light
scattering instruments for absolute molecular weight and size
determinations of polymers, proteins and nano-particles in
solution.
Special offers on new and improved products from Restek.
Multi-Angle Light Scattering instruments for absolute
macromolecular characterization
Bruker Daltonics delivers customer focused, application driven,
Mass Spectrometry solutions. Visit us at www.bdal.com to learn
how we can meet your application needs.
Advanced Analysis of Biotherapeutics LIVE WEBCAST: February
23, 10AM EST
No Frills HPLC at an affordable price. D-Star has systems and
detectors that are perfect for production sites and teaching labs.
Variable UV-VIS, Fixed and Dual wavelength. Filter fluorescence.
EXPTM HALO® Traps - hand-tight to 20,000psi from Optimize
Technologies

Home | About Us | Contact Us | Subscribe | Advertise | All Content | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Linking and RSS Policy

© 2010 Advanstar Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited.
Please send any technical comments or questions to our webmaster.

http://chromatographyonline.findanalytichem.com/lcgc/App+Notes+General/A-Speciality-Column-for-Surfactant-Analysis/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/211508[13-02-2010 11:14:45]