Simultaneous determination of dihydroxybenzene positional isomers by capillary electrochromatography using gold nanoparticles as stationary phase

The paper describes the enhanced separation of o-, m-, p-dihydroxybenzene by capillary electrochromatography (CEC) using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as stationary phase. The effect of the AuNPs concentration upon separation was investigated. The experimental parameters, including separation voltage, pH, and concentration of running buffer, were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, a good resolution of three dihydroxybenzene isomers was obtained within 15 min in a 50 cm effective length capillary modified with 0.02 nmol/L AuNPs at a separation voltage of 16 kV in a 50 mmol/L acetate buffer (pH 5.0). The linear ranges were from 10−6 to 10−4 mol/L and the detection limits were as low as 10−7 mol/L. This method was successfully used to analysis two kinds of hair coloring agent sample with recoveries in the range of 90–105% and relative standard deviations (RSD) less than 5.0%.