Separation and identification of various carotenoids by C30 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to UV and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometric detection.
In this paper the application of on-line HPLC-UV-APCI (atmospheric pressure chemical ionization) mass spectrometry (MS) coupling for the separation and determination of different carotenoids as well as cis/trans isomers of beta-carotene is reported. All HPLC separations were carried out under RP conditions on self-synthesized polymeric C30 phases. The analysis of a carotenoid mixture containing astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin, echinenone and beta-carotene by HPLC-APCI-MS was achieved by scanning the mass range from m/z 200 to 700. For the characterization of a sample containing cis/trans isomers of beta-carotene as well as their oxidation products, a photodiode-array UV-visible absorbance detector was used in addition between the column and the mass spectrometer for structural elucidation of the geometrical isomers. The detection limit for beta-carotene in positive-ion APCI-MS was determined to be 1 pmol. In addition, an extract of non-polar substances in vegetable juice has been analyzed by HPLC-APCI-MS. The included carotenoids could be identified by their masses and their retention times.
Lacker
T
T
Institut für Organische Chemie, Auf der Morgenstelle, Tübingen, Germany.
Strohschein
S
S
Albert
K
K
D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
D002338:Carotenoids