Determination of parabens using two microextraction methods coupled with capillary liquid chromatography-UV detection

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Parabens are widely used preservatives in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
• As environmental hormones, parabens pose potential health risks.
• Accurate determination of parabens in commercial products is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and compare two microextraction techniques for paraben determination.
• To optimize methods for efficient paraben extraction from various commercial products.
• To evaluate the performance of VA-DLLME-SFO and SA-CPE for paraben analysis.

Main Methods:

• Vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of a floating organic drop (VA-DLLME-SFO).
• Salt-assisted cloud point extraction (SA-CPE).
• Microanalysis using capillary liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection.

Main Results:

• Both methods successfully determined four parabens in 19 commercial products.
• High linearity (r²=0.998), precision (RSD<5%), and accuracy (RE<5%) were achieved.
• VA-DLLME-SFO offered reduced reaction times (<6 min) and convenient solidified extracts, proving superior for complex matrices.

Conclusions:

• VA-DLLME-SFO is a highly efficient and convenient technique for paraben extraction from complex matrices.
• SA-CPE is also a viable method for paraben determination.
• Both methods demonstrate good linearity, precision, accuracy, and sample versatility.