TOF-MS based characterization of polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) samples

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Polymer Science
• Food Science

Background:

• Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) is a widely used emulsifier.
• Understanding the precise molecular composition of PGPR is crucial for its application and quality control.
• Previous analytical methods may not fully characterize the complex mixture of PGPR.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the molecular composition of commercial polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) samples.
• To establish a reproducible analytical method for PGPR analysis.
• To provide insights for optimizing PGPR functionality and quality control.

Main Methods:

• Time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) was employed for molecular species identification.
• A combination of three ionization conditions was utilized to cover a broad molecular weight range.
• Analysis focused on identifying free polyglycerols, ricinoleates, and PGPR-esters.

Main Results:

• Over 100 molecular species were identified in commercial PGPR samples.
• The primary components were esterification products of di-, tri-, and tetraglycerol, with esterification degrees ranging from 1 to 5.
• TOF-MS analysis demonstrated high reproducibility with a relative standard deviation below 2.86%.

Conclusions:

• TOF-MS is a suitable and reproducible method for detailed PGPR composition analysis.
• The method allows for effective evaluation of batch-to-batch variations and comparison of different PGPR types.
• This analytical approach can guide PGPR synthesis optimization and quality monitoring.