Determination of acids in Brazilian sugar cane spirits and other alcoholic beverages by HRGC-SPE

A gas chromatographic method for the analysis of seventeen acids in a water/ethanol matrix is described. The diluted samples were first concentrated by solid phase extraction, Nonanoic acid was the internal standard. A good separation profile was obtained for all compounds, including the isomers, n and iso-butyric acids, n and isovaleric acids and n and iso-caproic acids. The method is fast, sensitive (2-30 mu g L-1) and has a good reproducibility (4-7 %). The recovery was in the range of 94 %-116 % for the medium chain acids (C-7-C-16) This method allowed the identification of fourteen acids in caninhas and other spirits. The total acid content and the profile of the exportation type caninhas are similar to the ones obtained for several international beverages.