Rapid Reaction Yield Monitoring by Capillary Electrophoresis: Analysis of Dicarboxylic Acids in Kerogen Valorisation Process

Capillary electrophoresis is a robust and versatile analytical method, particularly known for its precision and speed in separating anionic species. Its ability to maintain high resolution despite the presence of various organic and inorganic additives makes it ideal for verifying the efficiency of various industrial processes. One such process is the analysis of kerogen, which is an organic fraction found in Estonian oil shale known as kukersite. Kukersite was historically utilized for energy production, but now it is being reimagined as a sustainable source for high-value chemicals. Through controlled kerogen oxidation, it is possible to produce a range of essential dicarboxylic acids, including succinic, glutaric, adipic, and sebacic acids. These acids are vital precursors for the manufacturing of advanced materials, polymers, and plasticizers. Several capillary electrophoretic methods have been developed in the past to analyze dicarboxylic acids, but they either failed to separate the acids fully or other anionic compounds co-eluted during analysis. This study sought to overcome these limitations by optimizing various parameters to achieve a high-resolution separation of dicarboxylic acids and other anionic compounds in oxidized kerogen samples. The resulting method not only assisted in the evaluation of the oxidation process’ effectiveness but also provided a scalable framework for adapting capillary electrophoresis to complex anionic mixtures across various industrial sectors.