Page 8 - Application Notebook - Hand Sanitizer Analysis

No. SSI-GC-2005

Gas Chromatography

Determination of Ethanol and Isopropanol
Content in Hand Sanitizers Using Nitrogen

Carrier Gas
No. GC-2005

■ Introduction ■ Samples and Analytical Conditions/
The current coronavirus pandemic has created an Experimental
unprecedented demand for alcohol-based hand Ethanol (200 proof) and n-butanol (min. 99%) were
sanitizers. The US FDA has provided guidance to purchased from Sigma Aldrich. 2-propanol
allow manufacturing of hand sanitizers using ethanol (isopropanol or IPA, min. 99.9%) was purchased
or isopropanol (IPA) as their active ingredient. The from Fisher Scientific. The solutions and samples
United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the were diluted in deionized water to specified
World Health Organization (WHO), and the US concentrations.
Pharmacopeia (USP) all have determined that ethanol
or IPA concentrations in hand sanitizers must be A Shimadzu GC-2030 chromatograph equipped with
between 60 and 95% to ensure germicidal and split/splitless injector (SPL) and flame ionization
viricidal properties. detector (FID) was used for this analysis and the data
were acquired, analyzed and reported using
We developed a GC FID method to accurately LabSolutions LCGC software. The method
quantify ethanol and IPA concentrations in two hand parameters are shown in table 1 below.
sanitizer samples. By using nitrogen as the carrier
gas, this method is cost-effective and ensures the
product compliance with CDC and USP guidelines
and regulations.

Table 1: Instrument Configuration and Analysis Conditions

GC system Shimadzu GC-2030 with SPL, FID and AOC-20 Plus autosampler
Column Rxi-624Sil MS, 30m x 0.32mm x 1.8µm
Injector Mode Split at 1:20 ratio
Injection Volume 1.0 µL
Carrier Gas Nitrogen (N2)
Flow mode Constant linear velocity of 40cm/sec
Column Temperature 30°C, 4min – 30°C/min –120°C, 2min
Injection Port Temperature 250°C
FID Temperature and Gases 250°C, Hydrogen 32mL/min, Air 200mL/min, Makeup (N2) 24mL/min