Determination of Vitamin B6 Compounds in Foods Using Liquid Chromatography with Post-Column Derivatization Fluorescence Detection

The liquid chromatographic determination of six vitamin B₆-related compounds, the three B₆ vitamers, their corresponding phosphorylated esters, and an excretion product, is optimized using the reversed-phase technique with a stationary phase based on a ligand with amide groups and the endcapping of trimethylsilyl. The isocratic mobile phase consisted of a phosphate buffer, and fluorescence detection involved a post-column derivatization reaction using sodium hydrogensulphite to enhance the fluorescence of the phosphate ester. Peaks were identified by the retention characteristics and fluorescence spectra. Detection limits ranged from 1–25 ng mL^–1. Two extraction procedures using acid hydrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis were compared. The method was applied to the determination of B₆ vitamin derivatives in different types of food including beef liver, egg yolk, baby food cereals and honey. The natural free vitamers appeared in honey and baby food cereals, while the phosphorylated esters were found in the foods of animal origin. An assay using two certified reference materials gave results within the certified range.