Benzoic acids and their derivatives play a central role in the chemical industry, pharmaceuticals, and food technology. They are commonly used as preservatives, precursors for drug synthesis, and in plastic production. Additionally, benzoic acid derivatives serve as important markers for environmental contamination, particularly from fuels. They arise as degradation products of aromatic hydrocarbons found in gasoline, diesel, and other fossil fuels. Due to their relative stability and water solubility, they can be detected in soil and water samples as indicators of contamination by petrochemical products.
In analytics, sensitive and selective methods are required to detect benzoic acids in various matrices such as food, environmental samples, or pharmaceutical products. Typical techniques include high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), and spectroscopic methods such as UV-Vis or infrared spectroscopy (IR). For environmental analysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is often used to identify sources and pathways of pollutants. Precise analytics are crucial for ensuring quality standards, complying with regulatory requirements, assessing environmental pollution, and developing targeted remediation strategies.
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