Pervaporation prior to gas chromatography for the determination of enological parameters

The use of pervaporation for the separation of volatile species from wine prior to their individual separation by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (FID) is proposed for the first time. For this purpose, the upper chamber of the pervaporation unit is located in the loop of an HPLC injection valve. By changing the valve to the injection position the evaporated and diffused analytes are led by an helium stream to the chromatographic column for individual separation and subsequent quantitation of the target analytes by FID. The method thus developed was applied to the determination of acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, methanol and ethanol in wines. Agreement with the recommended methods was obtained in all instances.