FOOD SCIENCE ›› 2013, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (8): 157-160.doi: 10.7506/spkx1002-6630-201308032

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Determination of Astaxanthin in Antarctic Krill Oil by C30 Reversed Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Solid-Phase Extraction

SUN Lai-di,LENG Kai-liang,SUN Wei-hong,ZHAO Xian-yong,GAO Hua,XING Li-hong,LIU Kun   

  1. 1. Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China;2. Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China;3. Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Marine Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Qingdao 266071, China
  • Received:2012-06-11 Revised:2013-03-06 Online:2013-04-25 Published:2013-05-07

Abstract: An HPLC method for the determination of astaxanthin isomers in Antarctic krill oil was established following solid-phase extraction (SPE). Following clean up on LC-NH2 solid-phase extraction column, saponification of the extracted compounds was achieved with NaOH-methanol. Subsequent separation was performed on YMC-Carotenoid C30 column with n-hexane-acetone-methanol (1:2:2) as eluent at a flow rate between 2 and 4 mL/min. Injection volume was set at 8 mL. Quantification was performed by external standard method. Average recovery rates of astaxanthin isomers from spiked samples varied from 86.1% to 94.3% with RSD between 0.79% and 1.91%. Our results suggest that the developed method is of high reproducibility and recovery and suitable for the analysis of astaxanthin in Antarctic krill oil.

Key words: Antarctic krill oil, astaxanthin, solid-phase extraction, C30-reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography