Determination of Preservatives in Cosmetics, Cleaning Agents and Pharmaceuticals Using Fast Liquid Chromatography

Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) is a relatively new technique giving new possibilities in liquid chromatography, especially concerning decrease of time and solvent consumption. UPLC chromatographic system is designed in a special way to withstand high system back-pressures. Special analytical columns UPLC Acquity UPLC BEH C(18) packed with 1.7 microm particles are used in connection with this system. The quality control analyses of four pharmaceutical formulations were transferred from HPLC to UPLC system. The results are compared for Triamcinolon cream containing trimacinolone acetonide, methylparaben, propylparaben and triamcinolone as degradation product, for Hydrocortison cream (hydrocortisone acetate, methylparaben, propylparaben and hydrocortisone degradation product), for Indomethacin gel (indomethacin and its degradation products 4-chlorobenzoic acid and 5-methoxy-2-methylindoleacetic acid) and for Estrogel gel (estradiol, methylparaben, propylparaben and estrone as degradation product). The UPLC system allows shortening analysis time up to nine times comparing to the conventional system using 5 microm particle packed analytical columns. In comparison with 3 microm particle packed analytical columns analysis should be shortened about three times. The negative effect of particle decrease is back-pressure increase about nine times (versus 5 microm) or three times (versus 3 microm), respectively. The separation on UPLC is performed under very high pressures (up to 100MPa is possible in UPLC system), but it has no negative influence on analytical column or other components of chromatographic system. Separation efficiency remains maintained or is even improved. Differences and SST parameters, advantages and disadvantages of UPLC are discussed.

A rapid and reliable method is presented for the determination of the preservatives sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate in fruit juices, sodas, soy sauce, ketchup, peanut butter, cream cheese, and other foods. The procedure utilizes high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) followed by UV diode array detection for identification and quantitation of the two preservatives. Liquid samples were prepared by diluting 1 ml of the sample with 10 ml of an acetonitrile/ammonium acetate buffer solution. Samples of viscous or solid foods were prepared by blending the sample with the same buffer solution in a 1:5 ratio followed by a dilution identical to liquid samples. All samples were filtered to remove particulate matter prior to analysis. The HPLC determination of the preservatives was performed using a reversed-phase C18 column and UV detection at 225 nm for sodium benzoate and 255 nm potassium sorbate. The percentage of preservative in the sample was calculated by external standard using authentic sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate. Apple juice, apple sauce, soy sauce, and peanut butter, spiked at 0.10 and 0.050% for both sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, yielded recoveries ranging from 82 to 96%. The method can detect 0.0010% (10 mg/l) of either preservative in a juice matrix.

Personal care products (PCPs) are widely used emerging contaminants which can cause adverse environmental effects. This paper reports the development and validation of a method based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-(ESI)MS-MS) for simultaneously determining eleven PCPs: 4 preservatives (methylparaben; ethylparaben; benzylparaben; propylparaben); 2 antimicrobial agents (triclocarban and triclosan) and 5 UV filters (2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone; 2,2-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone; benzophenone-3; octocrylene and octyldimethyl-p-aminobenzoic acid) in environmental waters in only 9 run minutes of chromatographic separation. The SPE was carried out with two polymeric cartridges (Oasis HLB and Bond Elut Plexa). The recoveries obtained with Bond Elut Plexa were between 69% and 101% for 500 mL of river waters, with the exception of octyldimethyl-p-aminobenzoic acid (46%). Limits of detection for 500 mL of river water were in the range of 1-5 ng/L. Oasis HLB was chosen for wastewater samples with recoveries between 38% and 92% (250 mL of effluents) and 36-89% (100mL of influents). In both wastewater samples, octyldimethyl-p-aminobenzoic acid and methylparaben showed the lowest recoveries (20% and 27%). The method revealed benzophenone-3 as having the highest concentration levels ( 7 ng/L) in river waters. Most of PCPs determined were found in influent waters being methylparaben and propylparaben the ones found at highest concentration with values of 5613 and 1945 ng/L, respectively. In effluent waters, significant lower levels of some PCPs were found, being benzophenone-3 the one found at the highest concentration (100 ng/L).