Simultaneous cloud point extraction and spectrophotometric determination of carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF in food samples

A novel simultaneous cloud point extraction method for the determination of carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF by spectrophotometry has been developed. The method is based on the cloud point extraction of carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF from aqueous solution using Triton X-100, diluting the extracted surfactant rich phase with water and measuring the absorbance at 522 and 640 nm for carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF, respectively. The effects of different parameters such as pH, concentration of surfactant and temperature on the cloud point extraction of both dyes were investigated and optimum conditions were established. Linear calibration curves were obtained in the range of 0.02–3.50 μg mL−1 for carmoisine and 0.05–3.50 μg mL−1 for brilliant blue FCF under optimum conditions. Detection limit based on three times the standard deviation of the blank (3Sb) was 0.017 and 0.016 μg mL−1 (n = 10) for carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for 0.1 μg mL−1 was 4.14 and 3.30% (n = 10), for carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF, respectively. The method was applied to the simultaneous determination of the dyes in different food samples.