A gas-liquid chromatographic method for quantitation of 1,3-butylene glycol in whole blood or plasma and the separation of the short chain glycols.

A microanalytical method with direct on-column specimen injection for determination of 1,3-butylene glycol (1,3-butanediol) in whole blood or plasma using gas-liquid chromatography with flame ionization is described. Whole blood or serum (minimum of 10 microL) was mixed with an equal volume of internal standard (1,2-propanediol, 50 mg/dL) and a 2-microL aliquot was injected onto the column without prior derivatization or extraction. The other short chain (C2 to C4) alkyldiols were separated by this method and did not interfere with the quantitation of 1,3-butylene glycol. The method was linear (y = 0.0206x + [-0.0073], r = 0.9990) over the range of 25 to 100 mg/dL and the coefficient of variation varied between 0.74 and 6.03%. Minimum detectable concentration of 1,3-butylene glycol was 5.0 mg/dL. The method described is suitable for the rapid detection of potentially toxic blood or plasma levels of 1,3-butylene glycol, as well as for the detection of other short chain glycols.