Vitamin A determination in milk samples based on the luminol-periodate chemiluminescence system.

Abstract

A simple and rapid flow injection (FI) method for the determination of retinyl acetate is reported based on its enhancing effect on the luminol-periodate chemiluminescence (CL) system in an alkaline medium. The detection limit (3s×blank) was 8.0×10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹, with an injection throughput of 90 h⁻¹. The method allows linear increase of CL intensity over the retinyl acetate concentration range of 1.0-100×10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ (R²=0.9996) with relative standard deviations of 2.4% (n=10) for 5.0×10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹. The key chemical and physical variables (reagent concentrations, flow rates, sample volume, and photomultiplier tube (PMT) voltage) were optimized and potential interferences were investigated. The method was successfully applied to human milk, fresh cow's milk and infant milk-based formulas and the results were in good agreement with the previously reported HPLC method. A brief discussion on the possible CL reaction mechanism is also presented.