Isotachophoretic separation of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

Abstract

Capillary isotachophoresis (ITP), equipped with the conductivity detection, was tested for the separation of cetyltrimethylamonium (CTMA) bromide. To prevent adsorption of CTMA to the capillary walls, several neutral polymers and ethanol were added into the leading electrolytes. Unlike polymer additives, the CTMA free monomers and micelles, created as a result of the isotachophoretic concentration effect, were recognised in the presence of ethanol from 10 to 25% (v/v). At 30% of ethanol, only a single zone of CTMA monomer was registered because the micellization process did not take place under this condition.

Employing an ITP apparatus in the column-coupling configuration, the operational system with 30% of ethanol was tested for the determination of CTMA in hair conditioners. The achieved detection limits were about 0.02 mM. Both model solutions and real samples of hair conditioners were analysed with the precision about R.S.D. = 3%. One analysis in the column-coupled system takes circa 15 min.