Selection of derivatisation agents for chlorophenols determination with multicriteria decision analysis

The paper shows very systematic method of selection of derivatisation agents for a given group of analytes. In this study 8 derivatisation agents are assessed for their capability to derivatise 8 chlorophenols. Multicriteria decision analysis is used to combine many objectives of derivatisation agents selection into single, easy to be interpreted numerical value. Three basic analyses were performed to obtain rankings with the aims to assess derivatisation reaction, chromatographic separation of derivatised analytes and greenness of derivatisation agents. The first assessment showed acetic anhydride to be the most favourable alternative, the second one indicated N,O‑bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) - chlorotrimethylsilane (TMCS) mixture to give the best separation and the third proved heptafluorobutyrylimidazole (HFBI) to be the greenest agent. Fourth, comprehensive assessment showed BSTFA:TMCS to have the best total performance. Multicriteria decision analysis can be successfully applied in analytical procedure multi-objective optimisation, at the stage of derivatisation agent selection.