Determination of trace amounts of morpholine and its thermal degradation products in boiler water by HPLC

• Published in: Chromatographia 1993-02, Vol.35 (3-4), p.173-176
• Main Authors: JOSEPH, M, KAGDIYAL, V, TULI, D. K, RAI, M. M, JAIN, S. K, SRIVASTAVA, S. P, BHATNAGAR, A. K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Chemistry; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; Exact sciences and technology; Other chromatographic methods
• ISSN: 0009-5893; 1612-1112
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02269698

A method is presented for the separation and estimation of morpholine and its amine-type thermal degradation products in boiler feed water and steam condensate. The analytes were derivatized, pre-column, with N-succinimidyl-p-nitrophenylacetate (SNPA) and the resultant amides were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection at 280 nm. The analytical column was Supelco-sil-ODS with an isocratic mobile phase. Morpholine and its breakdown products were monitored in the range 0.01-10 ug per ml with a relative standard deviation of 0.4-3.0 per cent. Boiler feed water and steam condensate samples from a boiler servicing a petroleum refinery were analysed by this method. Quantitation of ammonia and 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol peaks found in the steam condensate sample showed that 3.8 ug per ml morpholine present in feed water degraded to 3.07 ug per ml in steam condensate. The major degradation products were ammonia (0.18 ug per ml) and 2-(2-amino ethoxy)ethanol (0.32 ug per ml).