Gas Chromatography Determination of Ethylene Glycol, Diethylene Glycol, and Triethylene Glycol

Introduction

Ethylene glycol (EG), diethylene glycol (DEG), and triethylene glycol (TEG) are widely used polyols in industries such as automotive antifreeze, polyester manufacturing, natural gas dehydration, and chemical processing. Accurate determination of these glycols is essential for product quality control, safety compliance, and process optimization.

Gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) provides a reliable and sensitive analytical solution for separating and quantifying glycol components in complex samples.

Analytical Method Using GC-FID

In this study, glycol components were analyzed using the Wayeal GC6100 gas chromatograph equipped with an FID detector and autosampler. The system employed a Wax capillary column (30 m × 0.32 mm × 0.5 μm) with programmed temperature ramping from 80 °C to 220 °C, enabling effective separation of EG, DEG, and TEG.

Optimized carrier gas flow, detector temperature, and split injection conditions ensured stable peak response and reproducible quantification.

Chromatographic Performance and Quantification

Chromatographic analysis of reference standards demonstrated excellent peak separation with theoretical plate numbers exceeding 30,000, fully meeting analytical requirements.

Sample testing combined retention-time identification with normalization-based quantitative calculation, allowing accurate determination of glycol composition across multiple samples.

These results confirm that GC-FID provides high-precision and reliable glycol analysis suitable for industrial quality control.

Application Value Across Industries

Gas chromatography determination of EG, DEG, and TEG is critical for:

• Automotive coolant and antifreeze quality testing
• Natural gas dehydration solvent monitoring
• Polyester and chemical raw material inspection
• Industrial solvent composition verification

A robust GC solution helps laboratories achieve accurate composition control, regulatory compliance, and production consistency.

Recommended GC Solution for Glycol Analysis

The Wayeal GC6100 GC-FID system delivers:

• High-efficiency separation of multi-component glycols
• Stable and sensitive FID detection
• Automated sampling for routine laboratory workflows
• Reliable quantitative performance for quality control

This makes it an ideal choice for chemical plants, testing laboratories, and petrochemical industries requiring dependable glycol analysis.

Conclusion

GC-FID analysis using the GC6100 system enables precise separation, identification, and quantification of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, and triethylene glycol.

With strong chromatographic performance and reliable quantitative capability, this method provides an effective analytical solution for industrial glycol quality control and application monitoring.

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