CAPILLARY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY OF PLANT-TISSUES AND SOIL PHENOLIC-ACIDS

A method for the separation of phenolic acids along with shikimic and quinic acids by means of capillary gas chromatography is described and discussed. The method involves the previous derivatization of the acids to trimethylsilyl derivatives and it has been applied to the separation of acids extracted from olive leaves and roots, elm leaves, and a soil A horizon. Quite good results were achieved both from qualitative and quantitative points of view. Qualitative differences have been pointed out in the phenolic acid composition of two olive cultivars and between leaves and roots of the same cultivar; also two elm species can be discriminated on the basis of the phenolic acid content.