Summary
The water content of solid samples, which are insoluble in organic solvents, is determined by equilibrium headspace gas chromatography after suspending the samples in a water-miscible dry solvent such as ethylene glycol monomethylether. The accuracy of this ‘suspension approach’ was tested with sodium tartrate-2-hydrate, a calibration standard for the Karl-Fischer titration, and good agreement was found. Partical applications are given for water analysis in an ionic detergent, in paper, and in solid food samples such as instant soup or drink powder and roasted coffee. The preferred calibration procedure was the standard addition technique, but internal or external standard calibration is also possible, particularly in the case of insoluble samples since the water only is extracted into the solvent. The resulting aqueous solution in the organic solvent represents an ideal matrix for all calibration techniques. The suspended particles from the solid sample were found not to cause additional matrix effects.
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Kolb B, Auer M (1990) Fresenius Z Anal Chem 336:291–296
Kolb B, Auer M, Pospisil P (1981) Angew Chromatogr Appl Chromatogr 35E. Perkin-Elmer, Überlingen
Kolb B (1984) In: Gilbert J (ed) Analysis of food contaminants. Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, London New York, pp 117–156
Kolb B, Pospisil P, Auer M (1984) Chromatographia 19:113–122
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Part I: Fresenius Z Anal Chem 336:291–296
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Kolb, B., Auer, M. Analysis of water in liquid and solid samples by headspace gas chromatography. Fresenius J Anal Chem 336, 297–302 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00331387
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00331387