Determination of tert-butylhydroquinone in edible oils by differential-pulse polarography

A differential-pulse polarographic method for the determination of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) in vegetable oils has been developed and tested with a variety of oil samples. No prior extraction or other separation of TBHQ from the sample matrix is required. An oil sample is dissolved in a 1:5 v/v toluene/ethanol mixed solvent containing an acetate buffer, and polarograms are obtained directly for this solution. Recovery studies indicate that this method is suitable for routine determination of TBHQ at the concentrations normally used in edible oils.