Planta Med 2011; 77 - PA12
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1282208

Development of a rapid isocratic reverse phase -ultra fast liquid chromatographic method for determination of phenolic acids in fruits

ED Gomes 1, N Narain 1, SA Ramalho 1, NC Gualberto 1, RM Miranda 1
  • 1Laboratory of Chromatographic Analysis and Flavor, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil

Some low molecular weight phenolic acids namely gallic, chlorogenic, protocatechuic, p-coumaric, vanilic and ferulic, are well-known in their health-promoting properties. Isocratic Ultra Fast Liquid Chromatographic methods (UFLC-DAD) for detecting these compounds are advantageous, due to their simplicity and economy of time and solvent usage. This paper aimed at the development of a rapid and comprehensive isocratic UFLC-DAD method for analysis of phenolic acids in Brazilian fruits mangaba (Hancornia speciosa Gomes) and umbu (Spondias tuberosa Arruda). Mobile phase compositions (different solvents A – Dihydrogen potassium phosphate, trichloroacetic acid and trifluoroacetic acid and different percentage of solvent B –8; 10 e 12% of acetonitrile) were combined with flow rates (0.4; 0.5 and 0.6 mL/min) in a statistical factorial design. Among the combinations tried, the trichloracetic acid was found to be the best solvent „A“ and 8–10% of acetonitrile as the best solvent B, and flow rate of about 0.6 mL/min as the best range of flow. Method presented limits on detection ranging from 0.014 to 0.094µg and higher recovery percentages were observed to extraction with methanol-acetone (69.51 to 72.59 for protocatechuic acid and 69.58 to 126.31 for the chlorogenic acid). Chlorogenic acid concentrations in mangaba samples (62.93µg/g) were higher than in umbu samples (8.49µg/g). Linearity of detector responses (represented by the linear regression coefficient of plots), was higher than 0.999 for all phenolic acids. These results permitted to develop a rapid and practical method for phenolic acids determination in the tropical fruits of umbu and mangaba.

Acknowledgement: We thank the INCT/CNPq (National Council for the Development of Science & Technology, Brazil for the financial support received while the first and last co-authors thank CAPES for fellowships