SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF ALDEHYDES IN ALCOHOLS

A simple and sensitive method was described for the determination of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in methanol and ethanol, respectively. A limit for aldehydes in alcohols is a necessary requirement. This method is based on the reaction between the aldehydes and 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolone hydrazone with the formation of coloured products. The sensitivity of the method was enhanced by applying the second - derivative technique to cover the concentration range of 0.05 - 0.25-mu-g/ml of either aldehyde in the corresponding alcohol with CV % less than 1%,. Moreover, the detection limit was lowered to 10 ng/ml.