An Inductively Coupled Plasma Carbon Emission Detector for Aqueous Carbohydrate Separations by Liquid Chromatography

• Published in: Analytical chemistry (Washington) 2001-02, Vol.73 (3), p.453-457
• Main Authors: Peters, Heather L, Levine, Keith E, Jones, Bradley T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Carbohydrates - isolation & purification; Carbon; Chemistry; Chromatographic methods and physical methods associated with chromatography; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Emissions; Exact sciences and technology; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Non alcoholic beverage industries and mineral waters; Other chromatographic methods; Sensitivity and Specificity; Spectrophotometry, Atomic - instrumentation; Spectrum analysis
• ISSN: 0003-2700; 1520-6882
• DOI: 10.1021/ac000902i

An inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer is used to detect carbon-containing compounds following separation by high-performance liquid chromatography. A calcium form ligand exchange column with distilled and deionized water as the mobile phase is used to separate carbohydrates. The eluting species are detected by monitoring the carbon atomic emission line at 193.09 nm. The mass detection limits using a photomultiplier tube for sucrose and glucose are 50 ng, while that for fructose is 60 ng. The carbon emission detector should provide the same detection limit for any compound with a similar mass percent of carbon, whether or not the compound exhibits appreciable absorption characteristics. While the carbon emission detector will universally detect any organic compound, it will discriminate against species with high molar absorptivity that may be present at low concentration. Such species may act as interferences in chromatograms generated with conventional UV−visible absorption detectors. To demonstrate the utility of the carbon emission detector, three sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose) are determined in apple, crangrape, and orange juice.