Determination limits and distribution function of ultraviolet absorbing substances in liquid chromatographic analysis of plant extracts

A study was made of the accuracy of quantitative high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) determinations of UV absorbing substances in plant extracts. By use of gradient elution on a reversed-phase column and UV detection, 62 extracts from plant leaves were investigated. The obtained chromatograms provided a distribution function of the relative abundance of observed peak areas. A computer simulation of such plant extract analyses permitted the estimation of the real distribution function of component absorbances. By use of the same simulations, the probability that a given determination could be performed with success was obtained. These data should be helpful to analysts working on the chromatographic analysis of such samples to estimate the accuracy of a particular determination in quantitative terms. Realistic determination limits for phenolic compounds in plant extracts were defined and computed. The same method can be applied to the analysis of other biological samples and to other chromatographic techniques. 7 figures, 1 table.