HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF TOCOPHEROLS AND TOCOTRIENOLS AND ITS APPLICATION TO DIETS AND PLASMA OF FINNISH MEN .1. ANALYTICAL METHOD

Abstract

A HPLC [high performance liquid chromatography] method is described for the determination of tocopherols and tocotrienols in human diets and plasma. After a room-temperature saponification diet samples were extracted with n-hexane. A direct hexane extraction was used for plasma samples. Using a normal-phase column at elevated temperature and a fluorescence detector complete separation of all 4 tocopherols, .alpha.-, .beta.-, .gamma.-tocotrienols and BHA [butylated hydroxyanisole], and good reproducibility and sensitivity were obtained. The recovery of tocopherols added to diet samples was 99% for .alpha.-tocopherol, 95% for .beta.-tocopherol, 99% for .gamma.-tocopherol and 80% for .delta.-tocopherol. The recovery of .alpha.-tocopherol added into plasma was 99%.