Determination of organic acids by capillary electrophoresis with simultaneous addition of Ca and Mg as complexing agents

Summary

A capillary electrophoretic method, with divalent cations as complexing agents in the electrolyte, has been developed for separation and determination of the low molecular weight organic acids most commonly found in wine, viz. formic, fumaric, succinic, oxalic, malic, tartaric, acetic, lactic, and citric acids. The separation conditions optimized were electrolyte concentration, organic flow modifier concentration, type and concentration of complexing agents in the electrolyte, and injection time. The best resolution of some of the acids studied was achieved by use of an electrolyte containing tetraborate buffer (10mm) at pH 9.3, an organic flow modifier (tetradecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide), and Ca²⁺ (10 ppm) and Mg²⁺ (10 ppm) as complexing agents. Other conditions used in the method were hydrostatic injection (10 cm height for 30 s), detection at 185 nm, and temperature 20°C. For all the acids studied detector response was linear for the concentration ranges considered. The repeatability of each point on the calibration plot for standards (n=4) was generally better than 1% the method was applied to samples of must, wine, brandy, and vinegar from the Jerez region.