Development of an Analytical Method for Identification and Quantification of Glycerol Ethers

Glycerol is a co-product of biodiesel production and an important raw material for the synthesis of economically and ecologically valuable compounds. The etherification of glycerol with benzyl alcohol is a promising chemical route that leads to the formation of highly volatile mono- and diethers with low viscosity and polarity. These compounds can be used as fuel additives to improve physicochemical properties, representing an alternative to increasing the biodiesel content in commercial diesel. Therefore, accurate and reliable protocols are required for the identification and quantification of the reaction products. In this study, a high-performance liquid chromatography method with ultraviolet-visible detection (HPLC-UV-Vis) was developed and validated to identify and quantify two ethers produced by glycerol benzylation. Method validation was carried out in accordance with Brazilian legislation and allowed efficient separation of the target compounds, here referred to as ether 1 and ether 2, showing satisfactory linearity in the concentration range of 150 to 400 µg mL-1, coefficients of determination of 0.9963 and 0.9990, and average recoveries of 105 and 74%, respectively. The method demonstrated accuracy, precision, and simplicity, proving suitable for monitoring the formation of glycerol ethers.