Identifying Volatile Compounds Not on the Gatorada Label

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Introduction
The purpose of this experiment was to identify the numerous volatile compounds not listed on the label, determine the quantity of chloride present, and to determine the various species of citrate and phosphate present in Gatorade. The volatile compounds in sports drinks are usually labeled as “natural flavors” and were identified using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GCMS). The quantity and determination of chloride was determined using the ion selective electrode (ISE) method. The various species of citrate and phosphate were identified using titration and the data collected from the ISE.
The GCMS uses a combination of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to measure and identify the ingredients present in the gas over the liquid, otherwise known as the “headspace.” In gas chromatography, the sample of gas is injected into a port where it is carried through a mobile phase. The mobile phase passes the sample through a long column that also contains a stationary phase. Gas chromatography, also called “elution chromatography” because the various components of the sample are eluted from the column sequentially, is composed of a stationary and mobile phase. The stationary phase is usually a viscous liquid with a high boiling point that coats the inside of the column and the mobile phase is generally a gas. In this experiment a 30 meter long capillary GC column was used and the mobile phase gas was Helium. The different parts of the sample are separated based on their affinities for the mobile and stationary phase. A sample that has a high affinity for the stationary phase and also has a high boiling point will spend more time in the stationary phase. The longer a component spends in the stationary phase, the longer it takes the component to be eluted. The temperature of the column can be used to optimize the separation of the sample. As the components of the sample were eluted from the column they were passed over a detector which determines the quantity present and plots a peak on a chromatogram at a specific retention time.
The mass spectrometry detector can be used to identify any species that is an ion or can form ions or identify species based on unique fragmentation patterns. The mass spectrum produces peaks based on the abundance of ions that have a specific mass-to-charge ratio. The majors peaks that are produced are identified using a library of spectra compiled from standards.

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