ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly discusses the application, chemical properties and physical properties of acetone. It presents detailed information on the air analysis and analysis of aqueous samples of acetone. Acetone is used as a common solvent in many organic syntheses and in paint and varnish removers. It is colorless liquid with characteristic odor and readily mixes with water and organic solvent. During the analysis of aqueous samples of acetone, aqueous samples are purged by an inert gas. The analyte is trapped on a sorbent trap, transferred onto a gas chromatography (GC) column by heating the trap and backflushing with helium and determined by GC/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Alternatively, an aliquot of aqueous sample is directly injected onto an appropriate GC column for flame ionization detector determination. Trace acetone in water may be determined by a fast high-performance liquid chromatography method. During the air analysis of the acetone, air is drawn through a prepacked cartridge coated with acidified 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine.
