title: Simple and rapid UV spectrophotometry of caffeine in tea coupled with sample pre-treatment using a cartridge column filled with polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP).
abstract: We have applied a sample pre-treatment method with a cartridge column filled with polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) to the effective removal of polyphenols and simple UV spectrophotometry of caffeine in tea. The absorption maximum length (lambda(max)) for caffeine was close to those for tea catechins in aqueous 1% acetic acid; therefore, the UV spectrum of a non-treated green tea sample had a large absorption wave. In contrast, the absorbance of the green tea sample was gradually reduced by PVPP cartridge treatment using PVPP from 0 to 50 mg, and was nearly constant using a pre-treatment cartridge with more than 100 mg PVPP, because tea catechins were effectively removed and caffeine was mostly recovered from a green tea sample by means of PVPP cartridge treatment. The PVPP pre-treatment cartridge also removed polyphenols successfully from oolong and black tea samples. Comparison with conventional HPLC analysis indicated that the present pre-treatment method with a PVPP cartridge was useful for the simple and selective UV spectrophotometric determination of caffeine in green, oolong and black tea samples.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Doshisha Women's University, Kodo, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Iho
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitai
authors.forename: Kirara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatanaka
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
mesh_terms: D002110:Caffeine / Q000032:analysis*; D002392:Catechin / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D011205:Povidone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D013662:Tea; C077842:polyvinylpolypyrrolidone; D002110:Caffeine; D002392:Catechin; D011205:Povidone