§799.6786. TSCA water solubility: Generator column method.
40 C.F.R. § 799.6786
Concentration (C) of a solution is the amount of solute in a given amount of solvent or solution and can be expressed as a weight/weight or weight/volume relationship. The conversion from a weight relationship to one of volume incorporates density as a factor. For dilute aqueous solutions, the density of the solvent is approximately equal to the density of the solution; thus, concentrations expressed in milligrams per liter (mg/L) are approximately equal to 10−3 g/10 3 g or parts per million (ppm); those expressed in micrograms per liter (µg/L) are approximately equal to 10−6 g/10 3 g or parts per billion (ppb). In addition, concentration can be expressed in terms of molarity, normality, molality, and mole fraction. For example, to convert from weight/volume to molarity molecular mass is incorporated as a factor.
Density is the mass of a unit volume of a material. It is a function of temperature, hence the temperature at which it is measured should be specified. For a solid, it is the density of the impermeable portion rather than the bulk density. For solids and liquids, suitable units of measurement are grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm 3). The density of a solution is the mass of a unit volume of the solution and suitable units of measurement are g/cm 3.
Extractor column is used to extract the solute from the saturated solutions produced by the generator column. After extraction onto a chromatographic support, the solute is eluted with a solvent/water mixture and subsequently analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), or any other suitable analytical procedure. A detailed description of the preparation of the extractor column is given in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(D) of this section.
Generator column is used to produce or generate saturated solutions of a solute in a solvent. The column, see figure 1 in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(A) of this section, is packed with a solid support coated with the solute, i.e., the organic compound whose solubility is to be determined. When water (the solvent) is pumped through the column, saturated solutions of the solute are generated. Preparation of the generator column is described in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(A) of this section.
Response factor (RF) is the solute concentration required to give a 1 unit area chromatographic peak or 1 unit output from the HPLC recording integrator at a particular recorder attenuation. The factor is required to convert from units of area to units of concentration. The determination of the RF is given in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(2) of this section.
Sample loop is a 1/16 inch (in) outer diameter (O.D.) (1.6 millimeter (mm)) stainless steel tube with an internal volume between 20 and 50 µL. The loop is attached to the sample injection valve of the HPLC and is used to inject standard solutions into the mobile phase of the HPLC when determining the RF for the recording integrator. The exact volume of the loop must be determined as described in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(1) of this section when the HPLC method is used.
Saturated solution is a solution in which the dissolved solute is in equilibrium with an excess of undissolved solute; or a solution in equilibrium such that at a fixed temperature and pressure, the concentration of the solute in the solution is at its maximum value and will not change even in the presence of an excess of solute.
Solution is a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances constituting a single phase.
(2) The column consists of a 6 mm ( 1/4 in) O.D. pyrex tube joined to a short enlarged section of 9 mm pyrex tubing which in turn is connected to another section of 6 mm ( 1/4 in) O.D. pyrex tubing. Connections to the inlet teflon tubing ( 1/8 in O.D.) and to the outlet stainless steel tubing ( 1/16 in O.D.) shall be made by means of stainless steel fittings with teflon ferrules. The column is enclosed in a water jacket for temperature control as shown in the following figure 2:
(i) The HPLC analytical system is shown schematically in the following figure 3:
(ii) Two reciprocating piston pumps deliver the mobile phase (water or solvent/water mixture) through two 6-port high-pressure rotary valves and a 30 × 0.6 cm C18/Corasil analytical column to a variable wavelength UV absorption detector operating at a suitable wavelength; chromatogram peaks are recorded and integrated with a recording integrator. One of the 6-port valves is the sample injection valve used for injecting samples of standard solutions of the solute in an appropriate concentration for determining RFs of standard solutions of basic chromate for determining the sample-loop volume. The other 6-port valve in the system serves as a switching valve for the extractor column which is used to remove solute from the aqueous solutions.
(2) The general procedure for analyzing the aqueous phase is as follows (a detailed procedure is given in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(4) of this section).
(i) Direct the aqueous solution to “Waste,” see figure 3 in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(A)(1)(i) of this section, with the switching valve in the inject position in order to equilibrate internal surfaces with the solution, thus ensuring that the analyzed sample would not be depleted by solute adsorption on surfaces upstream from the valve.
(ii) At the same time, water is pumped from the HPLC pumps in order to displace the solvent from the extractor column.
(iii) The switching valve is next changed to the load position to divert a sample of the solution through the extractor column, and the liquid leaving this column is collected in a weighing bottle. During this extraction step, the mobile phase is changed to a solvent/water mixture to condition the analytical column.
(iv) After the desired volume of sample is extracted, the switching valve is returned to the inject position for elution and analysis. Assuming that there is no breakthrough of solute from the extractor column during the extraction step, the chromatographic peak represents all of the solute in the sample, provided that the extraction efficiency is 100%. If the extraction efficiency is less than 100%, then the extraction efficiency shall be used to determine the actual weight of the solute extracted.
(v) The solute concentration in the aqueous phase is calculated from the peak area and the weight of the extracted liquid collected in the weighing bottle.
(2) RF. (i) For all determinations adjust the mobile phase solvent/water ratio and flow rate to obtain a reasonable retention time on the HPLC column. For example, typical concentrations of solvent in the mobile phase range from 50 to 100% while flow rates range from 1 to 3 mL/min; these conditions give a 3 to 5 min retention time.
(ii) Prepare standard solutions of known concentrations of the solute in a suitable solvent. Concentrations must give a recorder response within the maximum response of the detector. Inject samples of each standard solution into the HPLC system using the calibrated sample loop. Obtain an average peak area from at least three injections of each standard sample at a set absorbance unit full scale (AUFS), i.e., at the same absorbance scale attenuation setting.
(iii) Calculate the RF from the following equation:
(3) Loading of the generator column. (i) The design of the generator column was described in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section and is shown in figure 1 in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(A) of this section. To pack the column, a plug of silanized glass wool is inserted into one end of the 6 mm pyrex tubing. Silanized diatomaceous silica support (about 0.5g 100-120 mesh Chromosorb (W) chromatographic support material) is poured into the tube with tapping and retained with a second plug of silanized glass wool.
(ii) If the solute is a liquid, the column is loaded by pulling the liquid solute through the dry support with gentle suction. If the solute is a solid, a 1% solution of the solid in a volatile solvent is added to the dry packing. The solvent is then distilled off the column under reduced pressure. After loading the column draw water up through the column to remove entrapped air.
(4) Analysis of the solute. Use the following procedure to collect and analyze the solute.
(i) With the switching valve (figure 3 in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(A)(1)(i) of this section) in the inject position (i.e., water to waste), pump water through the generator column at a flow rate of approximately 1 mL/min for approximately 5 minutes (min) to bring the system into equilibrium. Pump water to the generator column by means of a minipump or pressurized water reservoir as shown in the following figure 4:
(ii) Flush out the solvent that remains in the system from previous runs by changing the mobile phase to 100% H2O and allowing the water to reach the HPLC detector, as indicated by a negative reading. As soon as this occurs, place a 25 mL weighing bottle (weighed to the nearest mg) at the waste position and immediately turn the switching valve to the load position.
(iii) Collect an amount of water (as determined by trial and error) in the weighing bottle, corresponding to the amount of solute adsorbed by the extractor column that gives a large on-scale detector response. During this extraction step, switch back to the original HPLC mobile phase composition, i.e., solvent/water mixture, to condition the HPLC analytical column.
(iv) After the desired volume of sample has been extracted, turn the switching valve back to the inject position (figure 3 in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(A)(1)(i) of this section); at the same time turn on the recording integrator. The solvent/water mobile phase will elute the solute from the extractor column and transfer the solute to the HPLC analytical column.
(v) Remove the weighing bottle, cap it, and replace it with the waste container. Determine the weight of water collected to the nearest mg and record the corresponding peak area. Using the same AUFS setting repeat the analysis of the solute at least two more times and determine the average ratio of peak area to grams of water collected. In this equation, s = solubility (M), RF = response factor, Vloop = sample-loop volume (L), and R = ratio of area to grams of water. Calculate the solute solubility in water using the following equation:
(ii) After running all the standard solutions, determine the coefficients, a and b, using a linear regression equation of C vs. R in the following form:
(iii) If another analytical method is used, the procedures described in paragraph (c)(3)(iii)(C)(1) of this section shall be used to determine quantitatively the amount of solute in the extraction solvent.
(2) Loading of the generator column. The generator column is packed and loaded with solute in the same manner as for the HPLC method described under paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(3) of this section. As shown in figure 2 in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(A)(2) of this section, attach approximately 20 cm of straight stainless steel tubing to the bottom of the generator column. Connect the top of the generator column to a water reservoir (figure 4 in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B)(4)(i) of this section) using teflon tubing. Use air or nitrogen pressure (5 PSI) from an air or nitrogen cylinder to force water from the reservoir through the column. Collect water in an Erlenmeyer flask for approximately 15 min while the solute concentration in water equilibrates; longer time may be required for less soluble compounds.
(3) Collection and extraction of the solute. During the equilibration time, add a known weight of extracting solvent to a collection vessel which can be capped. The extracting solvent should cover the bottom of the collection vessel to a depth sufficient to submerge the collecting tube but still maintain 100:1 water/solvent ratio. Record the weight (to the nearest mg) of a collection vessel with cap and extracting solvent. Place the collection vessel under the generator column so that water from the collecting tube enters below the level of the extracting solvent (figure 2 in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(A)(2) of this section). When the collection vessel is filled, remove it from under the generator column, replace cap, and weigh the filled vessel. Determine the weight of water collected. Before analyzing for the solute, gently shake the collection vessel contents for approximately 30 min, controlling the rate of shaking so as not to form an emulsion; rotating the flask end over end five times per minute is sufficient.
(4) Analysis of the solute. (i) After shaking, allow the collection vessel to stand for approximately 30 min; then remove a known volume of the extracting solvent from the vessel using a microliter syringe and inject it into the GC. Record the ratio of peak area to volume injected and, from the regression equation of the calibration line, determine the concentration of solute in the extracting solvent. In this equation, Ces is the concentration of solute in extracting solvent (M), dH2O and des are the densities of water and extracting solvent, respectively, and ges and gH2O are the grams of extracting solvent and water, respectively, contained in the collection vessel. The concentration of solute in water C(M) is determined from the following equation:
(ii) Make replicate injections from each collecting vessel to determine the average solute concentration in water for each vessel. To make sure the generator column has reached equilibrium, run at least two additional (for a total of three) collection vessels and analyze the extracted solute as described above. Calculate the water solubility of the solute from the average solute concentration in the three vessels.
Notes, amendments, and revision history
Amendments
[65 FR 78751, Dec. 15, 2000, as amended at 77 FR 46293, Aug. 3, 2012]
Source
Source: 65 FR 78751, Dec. 15, 2000, unless otherwise noted.
Authority
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2603, 2611, 2625.
Source
Source: 49 FR 39817, Oct. 10, 1984, unless otherwise noted.
Amendments
[65 FR 78751, Dec. 15, 2000, as amended at 77 FR 46293, Aug. 3, 2012]