Analysis of basic hair dyes by HPLC with on-line post-column photochemical derivatisation

A reversed phase liquid chromatographic method is proposed for the analysis of basic hair dyes (raw materials and colourant formulations). The performance of the method was enhanced by introducing post-column on-line photochemical derivatisation in combination with a Diode Array Detector. On-line photoderivatisation provided an effective way of selectively transforming the analytes to compounds with different spectral properties. For each analyte two characteristic UV-Visible spectra (photoreactor on and off) were obtained with the same mobile phase and this information in combination with the chromatographic data (k' at pH 3.0 and 4.5) enabled the unambiguous identification of both commonly used, approved, and banned basic hair dyes. Additionally, this approach was found useful to improve the method sensitivity, allowing the determination of analytes present in low concentration (0.03%) in complex commercial formulations.