Gas Chromatography Applications: Ethanol concentration and SCFA Detection in Listeria

Gas Chromatography Applications: Ethanol concentration and SCFA Detection in Listeria

Presenter(s)

Paul Robert Maricocchi

Description

Gas Chromatography (GC) is a separation technique for volatile compounds that involves the vaporization of a sample through an injector. Then, the vaporized sample is carried by a gas moving through a stationary phase (column) packed with a gel or a solid until reaching a detector. Recently, the CME department acquired a GC system with exchangeable detectors and columns to promote teaching and research within the program. During the 2018 Spring semester, the gas chromatography equipment was mastered by learning its fundamental aspects and correct functioning. This summer, through the SURE program and to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration across Units and Departments within the University of Dayton, this work developed GC analytical methods for use both in the classroom and in research for the identification of various compounds. A method was developed for the Senior level CME Unit Operations course, on which ethanol and water samples from a distillation column are analyzed to determine the composition of the binary mixture. In terms of research, Dr. Vasquez’s NEMlab is also interested in determining the concentration of ethanol in water after liquid-liquid extraction using castor oil and magnetic nanoparticles coated with biopolymers from trees. Additionally, Dr. Sun’s microbiology lab works with a bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes as its model organism, and there is an interested in determining short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as a new form of biomarkers whose concentrations can be linked to health. Specifically, the lab is interested in the amount of SCFAs that are produced by Listeria, and requested the development of a GC method for this purpose, which was successfully generated using a new column and a flame ionization detector. Both characterization methods were successfully created and saved on the GC instrument and will have a significant impact in the advancement of interdisciplinary research efforts at UD.

Publication Date

4-24-2019

Project Designation

Independent Research

Primary Advisor

Yvonne Y. Sun, Erick Vasquez

Primary Advisor's Department

Chemical Engineering

Keywords

Stander Symposium project

Gas Chromatography Applications: Ethanol concentration and SCFA Detection in Listeria

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