Abstract:

This work presents a novel approach for the electrochemical determination of butylated hydroxyanisole(BHA) and tert-butylhydroquinone(TBHQ) in real cosmetic samples using the indium tin oxide(ITO) electrodes modified with vertically aligned mesoporous silica channels retaining micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB). The ultra-small pore size of the channels, namely 2.3 nm in diameter, rendered the size screening capability of the electrode. Meanwhile, the hydrocarbon tails of CTAB provided a hydrophobic microenvironment, which enabled the rapid extraction and preconcentration of lipophilic organic analytes from sample solutions. An excellent analytical sensitivity, a wide dynamic range and a low limit of detection were obtained for both antioxidants under optimized conditions. Recovery values between 96.4% and 104% indicate the practical usefulness of the proposed sensor.

Key words: electrochemical sensor, mesoporous silica film, antioxidants, micelles, cosmetic