Analysis of total propionic acid in feed using headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography

A method is described to analyze total propionic acid content (free propionic acid+sodium, ammonium, calcium salts, etc.) in feed, using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) of a feed suspension in salted and acidified water. Optimization of the extraction variables was done by simplex method after choosing a polyacrilate fiber to enhance the response of this acid. Separation was made by capillary gas chromatography (GC), using a special free fatty acid phase (FFAP) column for acids and a flame ionization detector (FID). Some of the chromatograms were also done, injecting the SPME fiber in a GC–mass spectrometry (MS) system, working with some specific ions for propionic acid, to be selective enough to avoid confusing the propionic acid peak with interferences of those complex matrixes. The method was tested for linearity and repeatability. Detection and quantification limits were also calculated. The method was applied to commercial feed samples, very variable in composition, quantifying by standard addition method. No major interferences were observed.