The Determination of Abietic Acid in Natural Resins and Their Derived Products Using Assisted Ultrasonic Sample Preparation and Analysis by Liquid Chromatography

This study focused on the development and validation of a method for determining abietic acid in natural resins and derivatives products using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with spectrophotometric detection. A Pursuit PFP column (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5.0 μm) was used to separate the abietic acid from others matrix compounds, using methanol: formic acid 0.1% (75:25) as mobile phase in isocratic elution mode at a flow rate of 0.7 mL min-1. The sample analysis volume was set at 10 μL and the abietic acid was detected at a wavelength of 245 nm. The samples were prepared by ultrasonic assisted approach. The developed method showed a good linearity of the calibration curve with determination coefficient equal to 0.999. Validation parameters such as accuracy, precision, specificity, detection and quantitation limits, recovery and matrix effect were evaluated and displayed excellent reliability, validity and sensitivity. This method proved to be efficient to identify and quantify abietic acid in natural resins and its derivatives used as raw materials for cosmetic products.