title: Simultaneous analysis of carotenoids and tocopherols in botanical species using one step solid-liquid extraction followed by high performance liquid chromatography.
abstract: Carotenoids and tocopherols from botanical species abundant in Atlantic mountain grasslands were simultaneously extracted using one-step solid-liquid phase. A single n-hexane/2-propanol extract containing both types of compounds was injected twice under two different sets of HPLC conditions to separate the tocopherols by normal-phase chromatography and carotenoids by reverse-phase mode. The method allowed reproducible quantification in plant samples of very low amounts of α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols (LOD from 0.0379 to 0.0720 μg g(-1) DM) and over 15 different xanthophylls and carotene isomers. The simplified one-step extraction without saponification significantly increased the recovery of tocopherols and carotenoids, thereby enabling the determination of α-tocopherol acetate in plant samples. The two different sets of chromatographic analysis provided near baseline separation of individual compounds without interference from other lipid compounds extracted from plants, and a very sensitive and accurate detection of tocopherols and carotenoids. The detection of minor individual components in botanical species from grasslands is nowadays of high interest in searching for biomarkers for foods derived from grazing animals.
authors.affiliation: Food Technology, Lactiker Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Izaskun
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Valdivielso
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lactiker Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: María Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Bustamante
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lactiker Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ruiz de Gordoa
authors.affiliation: Food Technology, Lactiker Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana Isabel
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Nájera
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lactiker Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Mertxe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Renobales
authors.affiliation: Food Technology, Lactiker Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Electronic address: luisjavier.rbarron@ehu.es.
authors.forename: Luis Javier R
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Barron
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D065948:Grassland; D006586:Hexanes / Q000737:chemistry; D007536:Isomerism; D057230:Limit of Detection; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013030:Spain; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000032:analysis*; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006586:Hexanes; D024341:Xanthophylls; C026385:n-hexane; D002338:Carotenoids; D024505:Tocopherols
keywords: Botanical species; Carotenoids; High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC); Mountain grasslands; One-step simultaneous extraction; Tocopherols