Solid-phase extraction of carotenoids

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Food Science

Background:

• Carotenoids, including lutein and beta-carotene, are vital compounds found in biological samples.
• Accurate quantification of carotenoids requires efficient sample pretreatment methods.
• Traditional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) for carotenoid analysis has limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the solid-phase extraction (SPE) trapping performance of lutein and beta-carotene.
• To compare the efficacy of different SPE sorbents (C30, C18, diol, silica) for carotenoid enrichment.
• To develop an optimized SPE method for carotenoid analysis in biological matrices.

Main Methods:

• Frontal analysis technique was employed to assess carotenoid absorption, elution, and enrichment.
• Four different SPE sorbent chemistries (C30, C18, diol, silica) were evaluated.
• The developed SPE method was applied to serum and human breast milk samples.

Main Results:

• C18 and C30 SPE cartridges demonstrated high retention for both lutein and beta-carotene.
• Diol and silica cartridges showed good retention primarily for lutein.
• The optimized SPE method proved effective for analyzing carotenoids in serum and breast milk.

Conclusions:

• SPE offers a superior alternative to LLE for carotenoid sample pretreatment.
• The optimized SPE method provides advantages in speed, accuracy, and environmental safety (no chloroform).
• This SPE approach facilitates reliable analysis of carotenoids in complex biological samples.