uv-hplc / apci-ms method for separation and identification of the carotenoids produced by sporobolomyces ruberrimus h110

an on-line uv-hplc / apci-ms (atmospheric pressure chemical ionization) tandem by a platinium c18 column with an isocratic solvent system after optimizing was applied to the separation and the identification of different carotenoids including astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, apocarotenoic ester, torularhodin and beta carotene. this method was used to identify particular carotenoids produced by newly isolated microorganism strain of sporobolomyces ruberrimus h110 in our laboratory. the developed method allows to distinguish torularhodin and canthaxanthin, having the same molar mass but a different chemical structure. a detection limit of 9ng /ml for torularhodin observed. cv (%) for measurement of all carotenoid concentration was always below 3 %. torularhodin and for a smaller part beta carotene were the two pigments identified in sporobolmyces ruberrimus h110.