VIEW ARTICLE    DOI: 10.1094/ASBCJ-53-0178

Analysis of Diacetyl and 2,3-Pentanedione in Beer by HPLC with Fluorometric Detection. Stephen L. McCarthy, Technical Center, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., One Busch Place, St. Louis, MO 63118. J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem. 53(4):178-181, 1995. Accepted on April 24, 1995.

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method capable of determining how levels of diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione in beer was developed. After initial cleanup by passing the sample through and octadecyl solid-phase extraction (SPE) column, the analytes were derivatized with 2,3-diaminonaphthalene. The derivatives were collected on another octadecyl SPE column and then eluted from the column with methanol. The eluate was analyzed using reversed-phase HPLC with fluorometric detection. A comparison with headspace gas chromatography (GC) showed that the GC method gave marginally higher results for both diacetyl and pentanedione. Heating similar to that used in the headspace GC apparatus caused a slight but statistically significant increase in diacetyl but not pentanedione. Results on domestic marketplace samples are also given. Keywords: Beer, Diacetyl, 2,3-Diaminonaphthalene derivatives, HPLC, 2,3-Pentanedione, Vicinal diketones