Simple reversed-phase liquid chromatography method for determination of tocopherols in edible plant oils

A simple and rapid reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for determination of α-, (β + γ), and δ-tocopherols in edible plant oils has been developed. Oils are diluted in 2-propanol and injected directly onto Symmetry C18 column. Methanol and acetonitrile (1:1) are used as a mobile phase. Tocopherols are detected using fluorescence detector set at excitation and emission wavelength 295 nm and 325 nm, respectively. The method is precise (R.S.D. not higher than 2.24%) and sensitive–detection limits (DL) are 8 ng/ml for γ- and δ-tocopherols and 28 ng/ml for α-tocopherol; quantification limits (QL) were calculated as three times higher than DL.