Micellar electrokinetic capillary electrophoresis for rapid analysis of patulin in apple cider

A micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC) mode was applied to a capillary electrophoresis (CE) method, which was developed for detection and quantitation of patulin in apple ciders. This method used a small sample amount (2 mL) and consumed minimal organic solvent compared to the most commonly used HPLC methods. The sample preparation procedure of the CE method was also simpler than other chromatographic techniques developed for patulin analysis. Patulin was detected with a photodiode array detector at 273 nm. The standard curve was linear (r(2) = 0.9984) from 75 microgram/L to 121 microgram/mL with patulin working solutions corresponding to 3.8 microgram/L to 6.1 microgram/mL patulin in the sample. The linearity was better in a narrower range of concentrations (r(2) = 0.9999) from 75 microgram/L to 24.1 microgram/mL. The limit of detection of the method was 3.8 microgram/L. Patulin recoveries at 4 levels in spiked samples (10-121 microgram/L) ranged from 95.2 to 105.4%. The recoveries were 96. 9% and 99.2% for 2 levels (22.3 and 223 microgram/L, respectively) of patulin in infected apple samples. This method represents a unique alternative method for rapid and sensitive analysis of patulin in apple ciders.