Synergistic Cloud Point Microextraction Prior to Spectrophotometric Determination of Curcumin in Food Samples

Abstract

Synergistic cloud point microextraction (SCPME) significantly simplifies and accelerates traditional cloud point extraction (CPE). The use of medium- to long-chain alcohols such as pentan-1-ol reduces the cloud point temperature of the surfactant below room temperature without salt addition or heating, which minimizes the extraction time. In this work, SCPME with Triton X-405, as a nonionic surfactant, and pentan-1-ol, as a synergic agent, were applied for the extraction of curcumin prior to its determination with UV/Vis spectrophotometry. The optimum SCPME conditions were achieved with 500 µL of Triton X-405 and 600 µL of pentan-1-ol in 10.0 mL of the sample solution with an analysis time of 8.5 min. Curcumin was monitored at 430.0 nm. The limits of detection ranged from 0.012 to 0.027 µg mL⁻¹ and the coefficients of determination (R²) of the calibration graphs were higher than 0.9974. The proposed SCPME-UV/Vis method was applied for the extraction and determination of curcumin in food samples. The relative recoveries ranged from 90.6 to 105.4% with relative standard deviations below 7.5%.

Keywords:

• curcumin
• microextraction
• spectrophotometry
• synergistic cloud point extraction