Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electrospray mass spectrometry for characterizing polyglycerols and the effects of adduct ion and cone voltage

  • Published:
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society

Abstract

Polyglycerol intermediates have been characterized by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI). Linear and cyclic components from n=2–23 in a sample of decaglycerol, for example, have been resolved in the second dimension or mass axis. Molecular weight (MW) distributions for tri-, hexa-, and decaglycerol products have been analyzed as a function of cone voltage and adduct ion (H+, Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+, and NH4 +). A different combination is required to obtain a reliable MW distribution for each polyglycerol intermediate. The best distribution obtained by ESI/MS is determined by comparing the calculated hydroxyl number and cyclic content to that obtained by wet chemistry and gas chromatography, respectively. Once ESI/MS conditions are established, the distribution can be used, for the first time in polyglycerol analysis, to calculate important parameters such as number average MW, weight average MW, polydispersity, % cyclics, hydroxyl number, wt% above n=6, etc.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Sen, N., M. Keating, and C.B. Barrett, Gas-Liquid Chromatography of Polyglycerol, J. Gas Chromatogr. 5:269–270 (1967).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Kumar, T.N., Y.S.R. Sastry, and G. Lakshminarayana, Analysis of Polyglycerols by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, J. Chromatogr. 298:360–365 (1984).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Macka, M., H.-P. Mettler, M. Bokel, and W. Roder Analysis of Silanised Polyglycerols by Supercritical Fluid Chromatography, J. Chromatogr. A 675:267–270 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Stenzel, W.R., and C.L. Franzke, Zur Kenntnis der Polyglycerinfettsaureester, Die Nahrung, 21(5):429–441 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Stenzel, W.-R., and F. Claus, Synthese und Anwendung von Polyglyzerin und Polyglyzerinfettsaureestern als Emulgatoren in der Lebensmittelindustrie, Die Lebensmittel-Industrie 24:503–506 (1977).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Dolhaine, V.H., W. Preuss, and K. Wollmann, Structures im “Polyglycerin,” Fette, Seifen, Anstrichmittel, 86(9):339–342 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Dolhaine, V.H., W. Preuss, and K. Wollmann, Structures in “Polyglycerol,” Henkel-Referate 21/Int. Ed.:80–87 (1985).

  8. Prokai, L., and W.J. Simonsick, Jr., Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Coupled with Size-Exclusion Chromatography, Rapid Comm. Mass Spectrom 7:853–856 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Hunt, S.M., M.R. Binns, and M.M. Sheil, Structural Characterization of Polyester Resins by Electrospray Mass Spectrometry, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 56:1589–1597 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hunt, S.M., M.M. Sheil, M. Belov, and P.J. Derrick, Probing the Effects of Cone Potential in the Electrospray Ion Source: Consequences for the Determination of Molecular Weight Distributions of Synthetic Polymers, Anal. Chem. 70:1812–1822 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. McEwen, C.N., W.J. Simonsick, Jr., B.S. Larsen, K. Ute, and K. Hatada, The Fundamentals of Applying Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry to Low Mass Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Polymers, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 6:906–911 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Duffin, K.L., J.D. Henion, and J.J. Shieh, Electrospray and Tandem Mass Spectrometric Characterization of Acylglycerol Mixtures That Are Dissolved in Nonpolar Solvents, Anal. Chem. 63:1781–1788 (1991).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Byrdwell, W.C., E.A. Emken, W.E. Neff, and R.O. Adlof, Quantitative Analysis of Triglycerides Using Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization-Mass Spectrometry, Lipids 31:919–935 (1996).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Evans, K.A., S.T. Dubey, L. Kravetz, W.W. Evetts, I. Dzidic, and C.C. Dooyema, Quantitation of Alcohol Ethoxylate Surfactants in Environmental Samples by Electrospray Mass Spectrometry, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 74:765–773 (1997).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, AOAC Official Methods of Analysis, Method 965.32, 1990.

  16. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Ibid., Method 977.10, 1990.

  17. Nohmi, T., and J.B. Fenn, Electrospray Mass Spectrometry of Poly(ethylene glycols) with Molecular Weights Up to Five Million, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 114:3241–3246 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Sherrard, K.B., P.J. Marriott, and M.J. McCormick, Electrospray Mass Spectrometric Analysis and Photocatalytic Degradation of Polyethoxylate Surfactants Used in Wool Scouring, Anal. Chem. 66:3394–3399 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Tang, L., and P. Kerbarle, Dependence of Ion Intensity in Electrospray Mass Spectrometry on the Concentration of the Analytes in the Electrosprayed Solution, Ibid.:3654–3668 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Cody, R.B., J. Tamura, and B.D. Musselman, Electrospray Ionization/Magnetic Sector Mass Spectrometry: Calibration, Resolution, and Accurate Mass Measurements, Ibid.:1561–1570 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Thomson, B.A., Declustering and Fragmentation of Protein Ions from an Electrospray Ion Source, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 8(10):1053–1058 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lonza, Inc., 08801, Annandale, New Jersey

    Molly W. Crowther, Terrence R. O’Connell & Stephen P. Carter

Authors
  1. Molly W. Crowther
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Terrence R. O’Connell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Stephen P. Carter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Molly W. Crowther.

About this article

Cite this article

Crowther, M.W., O’Connell, T.R. & Carter, S.P. Electrospray mass spectrometry for characterizing polyglycerols and the effects of adduct ion and cone voltage. J Amer Oil Chem Soc 75, 1867–1876 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-998-0343-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-998-0343-x

Key words

Search

Navigation