High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of phenol in honey

A method is described for determining phenol in honey by using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). An internal standard, 2-phenylethanol, was added to honey which was steam-distilled and chromatographed on a 25 cm x 3.2 mm id Spherisorb 5 micro m silicic acid column using water as the mobile phase. Absorbance was monitored at 195 nm. Using a mixed standard of known concentration and peak height measurements, the amount of phenol in the honey could be quantitated. Recovery of added phenol was checked at levels from 0.1 to 33 ppm.