Fluorimetric determination of phytic acid based on the activation of the oxidation of 2,2'-dipyridyl ketone hydrazone catalysed by Cu(II).

Phytic acid exerts an activation effect on the oxidation of 2,2'-dipyridyl ketone hydrazone catalysed by Cu(II) ion and the oxidation product is highly fluorescent. A fixed time method for the fluorimetric determination of phytic acid based on this effect is described. The calibration graph is linear over the range 0.05-0.6 mg l-1 phytic acid, resulting in a limit of detection of 0.03 mg l-1 phytic acid. The relative standard deviation is in the range 1.4-1.8%, depending on the sample analysed. The method was successfully applied to the determination of phytic acid in human urine (20 samples) and food samples (nine different products). The results obtained for urine samples ranged from 0.31 to 3.6 mg l-1 phytic acid and for food samples from 3.8 to 22 mg g-1 phytic acid. This is the first procedure to be reported for the determination of phytic acid based on fluorimetric measurements.