A method employing high pressure liquid chromatography has been developed for the quantitative determination of polyethylene glycols in ethoxylated fatty alcohols and alkylphenols. This technique overcomes many of the limitations encountered in previously-reported methods. The polyethylene glycols are separated from the ethoxylated product and other sample components using a 65/35 acetonitrile/water mobile phase and a Bondapak C18/Corasil reversephase column system. The response factor of the differential refractometer detector is determined using Carbowax standards of appropriate molecular weights. The molecular weight of the polyethylene glycols in each sample is approximated using thin layer chromatography prior to the high pressure liquid chromatography calibration and analysis. The precision of this method for the determination of polyethylene glycols is -+ 4% relative or better, and the recovery of added polyethylene glycols is quantitative. Application of this method to a wide variety of commercial ethoxylated fatty alcohols and alkylphenols is presented.
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