Rapid procedure for the determination of residual acetone and 2‐propanol in oilseed meals and flours

A simple, rapid elution gas chromatographic method was used for quantitative determination of acetone or 2‐propanol in finely ground, extracted oilseed meals and flours. In the procedure, a 0.05 g sample of oilseed meal or flour was placed between 2 small glass wool plugs in a liner of the injection port of a gas chromatograph. Water (250 μl) was added over the glass wool sandwich, and the liner was placed in the heated injection port and firmly secured. Acetone or 2‐propanol and other volatiles were rapidly eluted from the sample onto the column by the combined action of heat, moisture, and carrier gas. The components then were resolved by temperature programmed gas chromatography (GC) on a 1 ft x 1/4 in. Porapak Q column. A second gas chromatographic method, a volatilization procedure, was included in the study for comparison as a measure of the concentrations of acetone or 2‐propanol. Samples of oilseed meals and flours were analyzed by both methods. The rapid elution procedure proved to be a simple and effective means of detecting residual acetone or 2‐propanol in the samples. The values were very similar to those obtained by the volatilization procedure.