F. Andrawes, S. Greenhouse, D. Draney
1987
Citations
3
Influential Citations
51
Citations
Journal
Journal of Chromatography A
Abstract
Abstract Acrylamide monomer has been shown to be a potent neurotoxin in animals and man. Methods reported for the analysis of acrylamide are based on the derivatization to 2,3-dibromopropionamide and analysis by gas chromatography (GC) with a column packed with a free fatty acid phase (FFAP) (Carbowax 20 M terminated with 2-nitroterephthalic acid) and an electron-capture detector. Using gas chromatography—mass spectrometry (GC—MS), we found that 2,3-dibromopropionamide is not a stable derivative for GC analysis. At low concentrations, it is converted to 2-bromopropenamide at the front end of the packed column. At high concentrations, both the mono- and di-bromo derivatives can be detected on a DB-5 fused-silica capillary column. On an inert FFAP capillary column, the derivative does not decompose to 2-bromopropenamide nor is it eluted in a symmetrically shaped peak. Conversion to the more stable 2-bromopropenamide can be achieved by adding triethylamine to 2,3-dibromopropionamide prior to GC analysis. This conversion is quantitative and reproducible. This derivative can be analyzed on a capillary column with improved resolution and detectability of at least 330 ppt (0.6 pg injected on column).