Solvents - Separation of amines

Significance of the Method

Gas chromatography separation of amines in solvent mixtures is critical for environmental monitoring and quality control in chemical production. The use of a selective stationary phase ensures accurate quantitation of amine impurities which can impact product safety and regulatory compliance.

Study Objectives and Overview

This study demonstrates the ability of an Agilent CP-Select 624 CB fused silica column to resolve eleven common amines within a 12 minute analysis time. The goal was to showcase rapid separation under a straightforward temperature ramp and carrier gas flow.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Technique: gas chromatography using a wide-bore capillary column
• Column: Agilent CP-Select 624 CB, 30 m × 0.53 mm id fused silica WCOT, 3 μm film thickness
• Temperature program: 50 °C initial to 200 °C at 10 °C per minute
• Carrier gas: nitrogen at 10 mL per minute
• Injector: direct injection at 250 °C
• Detector: flame ionization detector at 250 °C
• Sample volume: 0.02 μL of a mixed solvent containing eleven amines

Main Results and Discussion

Eleven amines including isopropylamine, diethylamine, diisopropylamine, triethylamine, 2-methoxyethylamine, dipropylamine, morpholine, cyclohexylamine, tripropylamine and tributylamine were baseline resolved in under 12 minutes. A tetrachloroethylene solvent peak was also separated. The unique CB stationary phase provided high selectivity for nitrogen-containing compounds across a range of volatilities and polarities.

Benefits and Practical Applications

This rapid and selective method supports high-throughput analysis in environmental labs, petrochemical quality control, pharmaceutical impurity profiling and polymer manufacturing. It reduces analysis time and improves detection confidence for trace amine contaminants.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Potential developments include coupling to mass spectrometry for advanced identification, ultra-fast temperature ramps for sub-10 minute analyses, and deployment of compact GC systems for on-site environmental monitoring. New stationary phases may further enhance amine selectivity.

Conclusion

The Agilent CP-Select 624 CB column offers robust, efficient separation of a broad spectrum of amines in solvent matrices. Its fast analysis time and superior selectivity make it an ideal choice for routine environmental and quality control applications.

References

Agilent Technologies Inc Application Note A01414, October 2011