Abstract:A new analytical method was developed for the simultaneous determination of nine fluorescent whitening agents (FWA52, FWA135, FWA184, FWA185, FWA199, FWA367, FWA368, FWA378 and FWA393) in food contact polystyrene materials by high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD). The sample was extracted with trichloromethane, and then cleaned up by precipitating the polymer with methanol and analyzed by HPLC using a Phenomenex Gemini C18 column with methanol - water as the mobile phase for gradient elution. The result indicated that the limits of quantification (LOQs) of nine FAWs were ranged from 1.0~8.0 μg/kg and the linear correlation coefficients (r>0.9992) were obtained within the irrespective linear ranges (0.32~200 μg/L). The recovery rates from spiked samples at the spiking levels of 5~500 μg/kg were ranged from 88.0% to 98.9% with RSD of 2.11~4.34% (n=6). The method was simple, precise and had high recovery rate for determination of FAWs in food contact polystyrene materials.
