title: Enhancement by Copper(II) of the voltammetric signal of vitamin B2 applied to its determination in breakfast cereals.
abstract: Addition of copper(II) to breakfast cereal samples was shown to significantly enhance the analytical signal obtained by electrochemical reduction of vitamin B(2) using linear sweep voltammetry on disposable carbon electrodes. The enhancement was observed only when dissolved oxygen was present. In model solutions the analytical signal was linear in the concentration range 6-150 ng/mL with a calculated limit of detection of 5 ng/mL (S/N = 3). This compared favorably with earlier work using a similar measurement approach--but in the absence of copper--in which the limit of detection was calculated to be 900 ng/mL. The effects of potential interferents commonly found in cereals were examined. In addition to signal attenuation by both sugar and starch (already reported), folic acid was found to increase (+6%) and iron to decrease (-11%) the analytical signal when present in the maximum concentration ratios, with respect to vitamin B(2), that are normally found in breakfast cereals. Nevertheless, the simplicity of the approach was potentially attractive for near-line quality control applications in manufacturing. The utility of the measurement approach was demonstrated by the addition of excess copper(II) sulfate to determine vitamin B(2) in aqueous extracts of breakfast cereals. The results agreed well with those provided by the cereal manufacturer who used an established HPLC method.
authors.affiliation: LIRANS Institute of Research in the Applied Natural Sciences, University of Bedfordshire, Great Marlings, Luton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rashid O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Kadara
authors.forename: Arnold G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fogg
authors.forename: Barry G D
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Haggett
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Birch
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003300:Copper / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019327:Copper Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000032:analysis*; D012996:Solutions
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D003300:Copper; D019327:Copper Sulfate; D012256:Riboflavin