Analysis of low molecular weight aldehydes in air samples by capillary electrophoresis after derivatization with 4-hydrazinobenzoic acid

This work reports the analysis of selected aldehydes in air samples using capillary electrophoresis (CE). The method is based on the reaction of aldehydes with 4-hydrazinobenzoic acid (HBA) to give the corresponding hydrazones with maximum absorbance at 290 nm. Under optimized CE conditions, the HBA derivatives of four carbonyls (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, and acrolein) were completely separated from one another, in less than 6 min, using a pH 9.3 tetraborate buffer at 0.040 mol L(-1) concentration as background electrolyte. A few method validation parameters were determined revealing good migration time repeatability (< 1.5% CV) and area repeatability (< 2% CV), excellent linearity (50-300 microg/L, r > 0.996) and adequate sensitivity for environmental applications. The limits of detection with respect to each single aldehyde were in the range of 2.7-8.8 ng L(-1). The methodology was applied to the determination of aldehydes indoors. Samples were collected in HBA impregnated octadecylsilica cartridges, at different times during the day. The most abundant carbonyls in the samples were acetaldehyde followed by formaldehyde, with estimated peak concentrations of 4.3 and 2.9 ppbv, respectively.