Gas-liquid chromatographic method for the determination of peracids in the presence of a large excess of hydrogen peroxide. Part 2. Determination in alkaline solutions

Abstract

In aqueous alkaline solutions peroxycarboxylic acids oxidise sulphoxides to sulphones much faster than hydrogen peroxide. Accordingly, when an excess of methyl phenyl sulphoxide is added to a 3 + 1 water-ethanol solution (apparent pH = 12) containing an organic peracid and hydrogen peroxide, formation of methyl phenyl sulphone, equimolar with the peracid, occurs. Under the experimental conditions adopted, hydrogen peroxide is almost unreactive. Therefore, the gas-liquid chromatographic determination of the sulphone produced affords a quantitative measurement of the peracid present.