title: Rapid method for the quantification of hydroquinone concentration: chemiluminescent analysis.
abstract: Topical hydroquinone serves as a skin whitener and is usually available in cosmetics or on prescription based on the hydroquinone concentration. Quantification of hydroquinone content therefore becomes an important issue in topical agents. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is the commonest method for determining hydroquinone content in topical agents, but this method is time-consuming and uses many solvents that can become an environmental issue. We report a rapid method for quantifying hydroquinone content by chemiluminescent analysis. Hydroquinone induces the production of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of basic compounds. Hydrogen peroxide induced by hydroquinone oxidized light-emitting materials such as lucigenin, resulted in the production of ultra-weak chemiluminescence that was detected by a chemiluminescence analyzer. The intensity of the chemiluminescence was found to be proportional to the hydroquinone concentration. We suggest that the rapid (measurement time, 60 s) and virtually solvent-free (solvent volume, <2 mL) chemiluminescent method described here for quantifying hydroquinone content may be an alternative to HPLC analysis.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.|Biomaterials Translational Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tung-Sheng
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Formosan Blood Purification Foundation, 50, Sec. 1, Bade Rd., Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Show-Yih
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Liou
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsi-Chin
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Armed Force Taichung General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Gwo-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Jong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Nutrition, Hungkuang University, Taichung, 433, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsueh-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Meiho University, Pingtung, 921, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Yao
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio-Technology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641046, India.
authors.forename: V Vijaya
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Padma
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.|Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, 413, Taiwan.|School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, 200, Chung Pei Rd., Chung Li, 32023, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D006873:Hydroquinones / Q000032:analysis*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D006873:Hydroquinones; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C031927:hydroquinone
keywords: chemiluminescence; hydroquinone; skin whitener; topical