Application of solid phase extraction with the use of silica modified with polyaniline film for pretreatment of samples from plant material before HPLC determination of triterpenic acids.

The new sorbent based on silica gel coated with a film of polyaniline (Si-PANI) was obtained in a process of in situ polymerization directly on carrier particles and its potential application for pretreatment of plant material samples with the use of solid phase extraction (SPE) was investigated. Parameters such as cartridge conditioning, the volume and concentration of the sample, the type and volume of the elution solvent were optimized and compared with parameters obtained for RP-18 and aminopropyl silica cartridges. The high recovery values above 97% after the SPE procedure with the use of Si-PANI cartridges proves their utility for analysis of triterpenic acids. The sorbent tested was successfully used for clean-up of extracts from Salvia officinalis L., Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merrill., and Origanum vulgare L. prior to HPLC-DAD determination of oleanolic, ursolic and betulinic acid. The efficiency of sample purification was verified by monitoring of chromatograms in the region between 190 nm and 400 nm during the gradient elution. The fewest components or their lowest concentrations were observed for all the investigated samples after the SPE procedures.