Abstract:A new method was developed for the determination of trace maltol in tobacco products using anion-exchange column, sodium hydroxide eluent and electrochemical detector. The sodium hydroxide was used to promote ionization of maltol to its anionic form. The maltol can be eluted within 15 min by anion-exchange column CarboPac PA1 with elution of NaOH. Detection occurred by measuring the current generated when the maltol anions were oxidized on a glass carbon electrode of ED electrochemical detector. The presented method showed good linear relationship (r=0.9999) for maltol in the range of 2.60×10–2~26.00 mg/L, the detection limit was 2.26 μg∕L. This method has been applied to the determination of maltol in tobacco samples successfully, and the recoveries vary from 97% to 102%.
