Determination of tert-butylhydroquinone in fat-soluble pigments by gel permeation chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detector

A novel method was developed for the determination of tert- butylhydroquinone ( TBHQ) in fat- soluble pigments using gel permeation chromatography ( GPC) and high performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detector.The average recoveries of TBHQ were 85.50% ~103.33%, spiked at the level of 0.5~1.5mg /kg.The relative standard deviations were in the range of 1.06% ~ 7.04%, and the procedure allows the detection of0.1mg /kg.The method was rapid, precise and high efficient.It can be extended to the analysis for TBHQ in fatsoluble pigments.