Simple and rapid determination of ferulic acid levels in food and cosmetic samples using paper-based platforms.
Ferulic acid is an important phenolic antioxidant found in or added to diet supplements, beverages, and cosmetic creams. Two designs of paper-based platforms for the fast, simple and inexpensive evaluation of ferulic acid contents in food and pharmaceutical cosmetics were evaluated. The first, a paper-based electrochemical device, was developed for ferulic acid detection in uncomplicated matrix samples and was created by the photolithographic method. The second, a paper-based colorimetric device was preceded by thin layer chromatography (TLC) for the separation and detection of ferulic acid in complex samples using a silica plate stationary phase and an 85:15:1 (v/v/v) chloroform: methanol: formic acid mobile phase. After separation, ferulic acid containing section of the TLC plate was attached onto the patterned paper containing the colorimetric reagent and eluted with ethanol. The resulting color change was photographed and quantitatively converted to intensity. Under the optimal conditions, the limit of detection of ferulic acid was found to be 1 ppm and 7 ppm (S/N = 3) for first and second designs, respectively, with good agreement with the standard HPLC-UV detection method. Therefore, these methods can be used for the simple, rapid, inexpensive and sensitive quantification of ferulic acid in a variety of samples.
Petrochemistry and Polymer Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. weenasi@hotmail.com.
Prinjaporn
P
Tee-ngam
Namthip
N
Nunant
Poomrat
P
Rattanarat
Weena
W
Siangproh
Orawon
O
Chailapakul
D003124:Colorimetry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003217:Conductometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010209:Paper
D003358:Cosmetics; D003373:Coumaric Acids; C004999:ferulic acid