Vol. 12, Issue 6 (2023)

Author(s):
Mamatha Rani R, Pratheepa V, Jaganmohan R, Vincent Hema and Vidyalakshmi R

Abstract:
Folic acid, or vitamin B9, is one of the crucial vitamins. The body requires folic acid in a smaller amount, even though it plays an important role during pregnancy. This led to fortification in cereals and grains and folic acid supplementation was started. Several methods are available to determine folic acid in food samples and in drugs. UV spectrometry and TLC are very simple and convenient to use; there is no need for a skilled person. In UV spectrometry, folic acid standards were observed with phosphate buffer saline and water. The wavelength detected for phosphate buffer saline was 281nm and for water, 280nm. The fruits were also analyzed, apples and black dried grapes both fruits formed good chromatograms at 280nm and 281 nm, respectively. In Thin layer chromatography, folic acid standards with different combinations of solvents and chemicals formed bands, but in the majority, TLC formed smudges. UV and TLC support the synthesized form of folic acid, not the naturally occurring forms of folate. Phosphate buffer and water are good options for extracting, but there are still many more separation techniques needed.