The Stimultaneous Determination of Phenolic Compounds by GC and GC/MS

To develop a simple, rapid and simultaneous analytical method of phenolic compounds using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrophometer (GC/Ms), this experiment was carried out to search the retention times of capillary columns and the characteristics of fragment ions in electron impact mass spectra. Most of trimethylsilyl derivatives and underivatized phenolic compounds were separated very well on three kinds of capillary columns(HP-1), Ultra-2 and HP-35). Quantitiative determination of phenolic compounds was achieved by internal standards (p-hydroxybenzoic acid iopropyl ester, p-hydroxybenzoic acid ethyl ester). Calibration plts were linear in the investigated range, and the limits of detection were about 5 ng at split mode method. When analyzed by three columns, theseparation times were fairly constant on two nonpolar columns, but a few compounds showed slightly different separation order by the itnermediate polar HP-35 column. The important characteristic patterns of TMS derivatives of phenolic compounds on the EI/MS spectrra appeared at the base peak of [M-15]+ ion and presented at high abundance in most TMS derivatives of phenoloc compounds. [M]+, [M-CH3-COO]+, [M-Si(CH3)4]+ and [M-Si(CH3)4 -CH3]+ also observed in mass spectra of these compounds . Although several compounds have the same retention times on GC column, it might be possible to identify these compounds by the different patternsof mass frgement ions. The TMS derivatives, thus , provide additional information for identification of phenolic compounds in biological systems.