[Determination of ten kinds of α-hydroxy acids in cosmetics with quantitative analysis of multi-components by single...

To establish a method for determination of ten kinds of α-hydroxy acids in cosmetics with quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker(QAMS).

The analytes were separated by high performance liquid chromatography on a Venusil XBP C_8 column(4. 6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm), with the mobile phases of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate buffer-methonal under a gradient elution. The components were detected at the wavelengths of 214 nm using a diode array detector. Citric acid was used as the internal standard to determine the relative correction factors(RCFs) of the nine other α-hydroxy acids, in order to calculate their contents in samples by their RCFs.

Good linearity with correlation coefficients greater than 0. 9994 was obtained for all the analytes. Stabilities within 24 h and precision of ten α-hydroxy acids were all good. Recoveries of the method were from 89. 3% to 105. 0% at three concentration levels, with the relative standard deviation(RSD) from 1. 0% to 2. 9%. Nine batches of samples were determined by QAMS, as well as the standard curve method(SCM). The relative average deviations(RAD) were below 3. 2% between the result of the two method, which showed good feasibility and accuracy of QAMS.

The method is simple, accurate and beneficial to the saving of reference substances, which is suitable for the determination of ten kinds of α-hydroxy acids in cosmetics.