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

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-C18 solidphase extraction (SPE). The analytes were separated on an Agilent C18 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%.