Determination of ascorbic acid in algae by high-performance liquid chromatography on strong cation-exchange resin with electrochemical detection

Fast HPLC-ECD analysis of ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid and uric acid

A robust and rapid high-pressure liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) method was developed and validated for the accurate determination of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA), in human plasma. Dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) was indirectly measured by subtracting native ascorbic acid from total ascorbic acid concentrations; the latter was obtained after chemical reduction. A stable electrochemical active internal standard (homogentisic acid) was added for the accurate quantification of the analytes. The analyses were performed on a reverse-phase column with traditional HPLC and ultra-HPLC (UHPLC). The UHPLC method showed increased sensitivity with detection limit of 0.05ng for both AA and UA, 2 times lower compared to conventional HPLC. UHPLC also reduced run times fourfold with less waste generation. Both assays showed good accuracy and precision, the intra- and inter-day CVs of AA and UA analysis are less than 7%.

Technique for rapid, small-scale analysis of vitamin C levels in fruit and application to a tomato mutant collection

We present a technique for easy, rapid analysis of both total and reduced forms of vitamin C in fruits using microplates and a plate reader. This technique has been compared with a spectrofluorometric technique classically used for assaying vitamin C in fresh tomato. We have applied these methods to a population of 118 tomato mutant lines and controls in search of variability for this trait. Six lines, identified as having high vitamin C levels, and four lines having low vitamin C levels have been chosen for further study. The vitamin C levels have been compared with sugar concentration, dry matter content, fruit weight, titratable acidity, and firmness. The correlations that often exist in tomato varieties between sugar and vitamin C content (positive correlation) or fruit weight and vitamin C content (negative correlation) can be uncoupled in the lines selected for further analysis.

Assay for both ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acid in dairy foods by high-performance liquid chromatography using precolumn derivatization with methoxy- and ethoxy-1,2-phenylenediamine

A procedure for the simultaneous determination of both ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acid in dairy foods by high-performance liquid chromatography using precolumn derivatization with 4-methoxy- and 4-ethoxy-1,2-phenylenediamine is presented. The derivatives are isolated by solid-phase extraction and analysed by fluorescence detection on a resin-type reversed-phase column at pH 9. Retention times are 2 and 3.2 min for the derivatives of ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acid, respectively. Relative standard deviations of the within- and between-assay tests are 7.1 and 5.5%, respectively, for ascorbic and 11 and 9%, respectively, dehydroascorbic acid. The limits of detection are 50 and 70 fmol per 5-microl injection for ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acid, respectively.

Determination of organic acids in sugar cane process juice by high-performance liquid chromatography: improved resolution using dual Aminex HPX-87H cation-exchange columns equilibrated to different temperatures

The application of high-performance liquid chromatography to the quantitative analysis of organic acids in sugar cane process juice is described. Separation of these acids is achieved on Aminex HPX-87H cation-exchange columns. Resolution is improved by connecting two columns in series and equilibrating them at different temperatures. The acids in the sample are first isolated on DEAE-Sephadex A-25 anion-exchange resin equilibrated with 0.5 M isobutyric acid. They are then eluted with 0.5 M sulphuric acid and injected directly onto the HPLC column after filtration through a 0.45-micron membrane. This method allows the simultaneous determination of oxalic, cis-aconitic, citric, phosphoric, malic, trans-aconitic, succinic, glycolic, lactic, formic and acetic acids. Isobutyric acid is also separated on this system and provides a useful guide to the loading capacity of the anion-exchange resin.

L-Ascorbic-acid biosynthesis in the euryhaline diatom Cyclotella cryptica

L-Ascorbic acid (AA) production in cells of Cyclotella cryptica Reimann, Lewin, Guillard (Bacillariophyceae) is enhanced when darkadapted cells are exposed to light.Heterotrophically grown cells incubated with D-[6-(3)H,6-(14)C]glucose and D-[1-(3)H,6-(14)C]glucose (2 h in dark followed by 15 h light) produced labeled AA with significantly different ratios of (3)H and (14)C. Comparisons of labeling patterns in AA and chitin-derived D-glucosamine support a path of conversion in Cyclotella from D-glucose to AA that "inverts" the carbon chain of the sugar. This process resembles similar conversions found in AA-synthesizing animals and species from two other algal classes.