Abstract: In order to obtain a convenient method for the determination of volatile phenols in freshwater fish, the optimal extraction and determination conditions were explored in this paper. Water without phenols was replaced by distilled water. For the elimination of foam, stearic acid was used. The fixation of phenols in fish was achieved by adding NaOH at a concentration of 100 g/L. Acidification with sulfuric acid followed by direct distillation was used for sample extraction of volatile phenols from fish. The measurement of volatile phenols was performed based on 4-anminoantipyrine (4-AAP) staining method. Results indicated that the linear range, detection limit, recovery rate of this method were 0.002－6 mg/L, 0.05 mg/kg, and 98.4%－107.0%, respectively. Compared with traditional methods, direct distillation is a convenient, time-saving and energy-saving method, which is suitable for extensive applications.

Key words: volatile, freshwater fish, distillation, extraction, 4-anminoantipyrine