Technical Bulletin No. 0501: Procedures for the Analysis of Resin and Fatty Acids in Pulp Mill Effluents

The continued refinement and improvement of analytical methods for the analysis of organic compounds of interest to the forest products industry is an important part of the National Council program. This technical bulletin summarized studies on methodology for the analysis of resin acids, fatty acids and chlorinated resin acids in pulp industry wastewaters and describes both GC/FID and GC/MS analysis procedures. The methodology improvements incorporated in the new procedures include a refined extraction protocol which allows for better recovery of acid labile resin acids. Derivatization of the extracts is accomplished using triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate rather than the toxic and hazardous diazomethane used previously. Improved selectivity is accomplished by capillary column chromatography and optimum storage conditions for both wastewater samples and extracts are described. The GC/FID and GC/MS analysis procedures complement each other; the GC/FID providing a routine analysis procedure and the GC/MS providing a confirmation procedure. Thus, the combination of the two methods should provide useful tools for the monitoring of pulp industry wastewaters and in the evaluation of the environmental significance of these compounds.