Optimization and Validation of RP-HPLC-UV/Vis Method for Determination Phenolic Compounds in Several Personal Care Products

Abstract

A sensitive and selective reversed phase HPLC method with ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry
detection has been optimized and validated for the simultaneous determination of phenolic
compounds, such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as
antioxidants, and octyl methylcinnamat (OMC) as UVB-filter in several personal care products. The
optimum analytical conditions (280 nm as maximum wave length, 0.8 mL/min as flow rate, pH 3.5,
mixture of phase A (acetonitrile) with phase B (water:acetic acid; 99:1; v/v) as mobile phase) were
obtained by variation of flow rate, the pH value of phase B, different binary mixtures. The dynamic
range was between 1 to 250 mg L-1 with relative standard deviation better than 0.25%, (n=4). Limit of
detection for BHA, BHT and OMC were 0.196, 0.170 and 0.478 mg L-1
, respectively. While limit of
quantification for BHA, BHT and OMC were 0.593, 0.515 and 1.448 mg L-1
, respectively. Recovery
study was performed by spiking standard of phenolic compounds at four different concentration levels
using external standard addition method. The recovery for BHA, BHT and OMC were ranged from
92.1-105.9%, 83.2-108.9% and 87.3-103.7%, respectively. The concentration ranges of BHA, BHT
and OMC in 12 commercial personal care samples were 0.13-4.85, 0.16-2.30 and 0.12-65.5 mg g
-1
,
respectively. The concentrations of phenolic compounds in these personal care samples were below
than maximum allowable concentration in personal care formulation i.e up to 1% (w/w) for BHA, up
to 0.5% (w/w) for BHT and up to 10% (w/w) for OMC