DETECTION AND QUANTIFICATION OF THE STRAIGHT CHAIN FATTY-ACIDS FROM PROPIONIC TO DECANOIC USING POSTCOLUMN REACTION DETECTION HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

A procedure has been developed for the detection and quantification of the straight chain fatty acids from propionic (C3) to decanoic (C10) acid using post-column reaction detection. This method utilizes the changes in color produced when the acids are mixed with the pH indicator, neutral red, following separation on a phenyl-bonded phase column. As each of the acids elutes from the column, they mix with an aqueous solution of the indicator and 0.01 M boric acid at pH 6.80. the change in the concentration of the protonated form of the dye allows for quantification of the acids at 533 nm.