Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Determination of Carbonyl Functional Groups in Bio-oils by Potentiometric Titration: The Faix Method
Published on: February 7, 2017
Isotachophoretic determination of carboxylic acids in biodegradation samples
Agnieszka Zgoła-Grześkowiak1, Tomasz Grześkowiak, Joanna Zembrzuska
1Poznan University of Technology, Institute of Chemistry, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznań, Poland. agnieszka.zgola@fct.put.poznan.pl
Abstract:
In the current study a method of isotachophoretic separation of selected carboxylic acids was developed. The method was used for the determination of carboxylated oligo(ethylene glycol)s and their degradation products in biodegradation tests of PEG 250 DA [a mixture of dicarboxylated oligo(ethylene glycol)s]. Two tests were performed in the studies: the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) screening test and the river water die-away test. Both the biodegradation tests proved relatively fast biodegradation of the studied compounds. In the OECD screening test the biodegradation was faster than in the river water die-away test which can be ascribed to a higher concentration of bacteria in the biodegradation liquor. The minimal sample pretreatment and relatively low cost of analysis by the isotachophoretic method used here make it a good alternative to existing methods of carboxylic acids analysis.
Related Concept Videos
NMR and Mass Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acids
While α protons of carboxylic acids absorb at 2–2.5 ppm, β protons absorb further upfield.
Carboxylic acids are easily identified by dissolving them in deuterium oxide, which results in a rapid exchange of the acidic protons with deuterium. This leads to the disappearance of the acidic...
IR and UV–Vis Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acids
However, the stretching absorptions for the C=O bond vary depending on the structure of carboxylic acids. The C=O bond of the free carboxylic acids shows a higher stretching frequency, 1760 cm−1, while H-bonded carboxylic acids (dimers) exhibit stretching absorptions at a lower frequency, 1710 cm−1. The C=O bond of the...
Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
In the...
Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Saponification
The reaction requires a base in stoichiometric amounts, which participates in the reaction and is not regenerated later. So, the base acts as a...
Reactions of Carboxylic Acids: Introduction
Preparation of Carboxylic Acids: Overview

