Simultaneous Determination of Six Kinds of p-Hydrobenzoic Acid Ester in Food Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract A method was developed for the determination of six p -hydrobenzoic acid ester in food preservatives by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The samples were extracted with acetonitrile, and purified by LC-C 18 solidphase extraction (SPE). The analytes were separated on an Agilent C 18 column, eluted by gradient with methanol and water, detected by diode array detector, and quantified by external standard method. The calibration curve was linear over concentration range of 1.0–500 mg L −1 ( r ≥ 0.9997). The lower limit of quantification in food was 0.0016–0.0081 mg L −1 . The spiked levels of six kinds of p -Hydrobenzoic acid esters in vegetables and fruit of surface treatment, vinegar, carbonated beverages, milk, and food fillings were done. The relative recoveries of six kinds of p -Hydrobenzoic acid esters were in the range of 85.1%–95.4%, and the relative standard deviations were 3.6%–13.0%.