Solid-Phase Extraction Cleanup for Determining Ascorbic Acid and Dehydroascorbic Acid by Titration with 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol

Abstract

Ascorbic acid is frequently determined by titration with 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol. The determination is rapid, but the method is neither specific for ascorbic acid nor very sensitive. The coloring matter in the assay solution interferes with the visual endpoint, and iron(II), copper(I), sulfite, and sulfhydryl substances such as cysteine and glutathione interfere with the color reaction. Sample cleanup by solid-phase extraction with C18 bonded silica was developed to remove the coloring matter. Extraction sorbent impregnated with 2,2′-bipyridyl, 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (neocuproine) and N-ethylmaleimide removes Fe(II), Cu(I), and sulfhydryl compounds, respectively. The procedure was applied to highly colored multivitamin pharmaceuticals, soft drinks, and fruit and vegetable juices. In contrast to the results from the original method, which is not applicable to such samples, the results obtained by the method incorporating cleanup were accurate and selective for ascorbic acid. The sample cleanup also permitted determination of dehydroascorbic acid by reducing it to ascorbic acid with cysteine and titrating the ascorbic acid formed with indophenol. As little as 3 ng ascorbic acid was determined by the method incorporating cleanup.