Analysis of melamine resins by capillary zone electrophoresis with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometric detection

• Published in: Electrophoresis 2005-04, Vol.26 (7-8), p.1576-1583
• Main Authors: Cook, Helmy A., Klampfl, Christian W., Buchberger, Wolfgang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Capillary zone electrophoresis; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Electrolytes - chemistry; Electrophoresis, Capillary - methods; Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry; Melamine resins; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization - instrumentation; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization - methods; Time of flight-mass spectrometry; Triazines - analysis
• ISSN: 0173-0835; 1522-2683
• DOI: 10.1002/elps.200410058

A method for the determination of the major components of (methoxymethyl)melamine resins, with quantitative analysis of unreacted melamine by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) using electrospray ionization‐mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) is presented. Using a low background electrolyte (BGE) pH, components are separated according to their charge/ionic radius ratio with a distinctly different separation selectivity compared to the HPLC methods commonly employed in melamine‐resin analysis. The use of a time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer (TOF‐MS) was concluded to be necessary, as the complex samples studied required maximum sensitivity and resolution, which is clearly superior for TOF‐MS detectors over their quadrupole counterparts. A standard curve of free melamine was determined with an R2 = 0.999 over a concentration range of an order of magnitude. This method offers the unique separation selectivity of CZE as well as a quicker analysis time, especially for dimers compared to the HPLC methods used to date.