Analysis of fatty alcohol derivatives with comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

A simultaneous separation of anionic (fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates), non-ionic (alkyl polyglucosides, fatty alcohol ethoxylates) and amphoteric (cocamidopropyl betaines) surfactants was performed by comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LCxLC) utilizing a ZIC(®)-HILIC column in the first dimension, a Reprosphere 100 C8-Aqua column in the second dimension and a 10-port two position valve as the interface. The volume of the two sample loops were 25 or 50 μL and allow a one or two minute modulation at a 25 μL/min flow rate. In the first dimension, a gradient of acetonitrile and an ammonium acetate buffer was used to separate polyethoxylated surfactants by their degree of ethoxylation (EO number) whereas in the second dimension, a separation by alkyl chain was performed using a methanol/ammonium acetate buffer gradient. A baseline separation of the above mentioned surfactants according to both EO number and alkyl chain was achieved. The best performance was used to compare two different LCxLC-QTOF MS systems, which demonstrate that a transfer of the method from one system to a totally different system is possible. However, because of the differences in delay volume and extra-column volume between these systems the separation power is changed.