How to determine whether an oil contains methyl acetal
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I was wondering, how do you analyze methyl acetal in oils in laboratory tests? What method do you use?
I haven’t conducted any tests; I don’t know what concentration you are looking for or what type of oil it is. My approach is as follows: 1. If the oil can be analyzed using gas chromatography, GC can be used for qualitative analysis and quantification. 2. If a sufficient amount is available, infrared spectroscopy can be used to check for ether bonds, and quantification can also be carried out, albeit with less precision if requirements aren’t very strict
This post was last edited by qugd on 2012-3-12 21:14. I don’t know what the approximate amount is. Such things generally do not exist in oil products, unless they are added for some reason. If the concentration is significant, distillation can be carried out to collect the fraction with a temperature below 45 degrees, after which chromatographic analysis of this fraction can be performed. If the content is low, add a small amount of sulfuric acid to cause decomposition, then distill and absorb the distillate with cold water; formaldehyde analysis can be performed on the aqueous phase. Methyl acetal is dimethoxymethane, CH3-O-CH2-O-CH3; it is formed by the condensation of formaldehyde with two molecules of methanol, and its boiling point is around 43 degrees.
Let me tell you a home remedy: put your finger in the oil; bubbles will form quickly if there is methyl acetal present. . . . . . . . . .