The Use of Ultraviolet Irradiation in the Estimation of Retinol (Vitamin A Alcohol) and Its Derivatives

Abstract

Abstract Quantitative studies on the estimation of retinol (Vitamin A alcohol) and its derivatives retinoic acid, retinal, retinyl acetate, and retinyl palmitate in dilute solution using the method of destruction by ultraviolet irradiation, showed that retinoic acid in organic solvents required a period of irradiation of from 2.5 to 8 times as long for destruction as did the other forms of the vitamin. This fact should be taken into consideration in any attempt to apply the method of Bessey et al. (1) for the analysis of retinoic acid in biologic material. Furthermore, standard solutions of retinoic acid in organic solvents are more stable after storage in the dark than are the other derivatives of the vitamin.