Determination of SCFAs in water using GC-FID. Selection of the separation system Original Research Article

In the present study, an analytical procedure was developed for the determination of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in landfill leachate and municipal wastewater employing injection of aqueous samples to gas chromatograph with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Chromatographic conditions such as a separation system, injection volume, oven temperature program were investigated and selected. With two columns, one with a polar (polyethylene glycol) and one with a non-polar (dimethylpolisiloxane) stationary phase, good separation of SCFAs, containing from 2 to 8 carbon atoms, was achieved. The sample volume was 2 μL and the temperature program 80 °C (30 s) then 7 °C min−1 to 220 °C (2 min). LOQs values were below 0.25 mg L−1. The concentrations of the acids in the landfill leachate studied ranged from 0.45 ± 0,059 (average ± extended uncertainty) mg L−1 for pentanoic acid to 15.2 ± 0.73 mg L−1 for ethanoic acid. Concentrations of SCFAs in the municipal wastewater were lower than LOQs.