The determination of environmental 2-ethoxyethanol by gas chromatography

A gas chromatographic procedure for the determination of 2-ethoxyethanol (C2H5OCH2CH2OH) was developed by using the general principles of analysis of solvent vapors. 2-Ethoxyethanol was sampled by adsorbing on activated carbon. It was desorbed with carbon disulfide plus 2-propanol (0.5%). The analytical column was packed with 10% free fatty acid phase on Chromosorb-P AW. The analysis was conducted at 130 degrees C isothermal using a flame ionization detector. Addition of 2-propanol (0.5%) to carbon disulfide improved (P less than or equal to 0.01) desorption of 2-ethoxyethanol adsorbed on activated carbon. The mean desorption efficiency of carbon disulfide plus 2-propanol (0.5%) was 87.9 +/- 2.86% (n = 15). Based on a 101 air sample and detector sensitivity of 2 X 10(-10) AFS, the calculated limit of detection of 2-ethoxyethanol was 0.1 ppm. The precision (coefficient of variation) for this analytical procedure was 3.34% (n = 12). In conclusion, 2-ethoxyethanol adsorbed on activated carbon can be desorbed with carbon disulfide plus 2-propanol (0.5%). Subsequently the desorbed 2-ethoxyethanol can be analyzed by gas chromatographic identification on 10% FFAP using a flame ionization detector.