Analytical Quality by Design Assisted Ecofriendly RP-HPLC Method for the Simultaneous Estimation of Artificial Sweeteners in Commercial Food Samples Utilizing Green Ultrasound Assisted Extraction Technique: Greenness, Blueness and Whiteness Appraisal.

Background: Acesulfame K (E950) and Saccharin Na (E954) are commonly utilized synthetic sweeteners that are added to various processed food products to improve the sweet flavor. It is essential to give priority to environmentally friendly technology while assessing them, as overuse of these sweeteners presents serious health hazards.

Objective: The main aim of this study was to develop an AQbD aided ecofriendly RP-HPLC technique that can detect both Acesulfame K and Saccharin Na simultaneously incorporating green analytical chemistry (GAC) principles and white analytical chemistry (WAC); using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) technique on commercial food samples.

Method: The usage of ethanol was in accordance with eco-friendly ideals due to its ease of use, speed, and lack of environmental impact. Rotatable central composite designs (rCCD) was used for method optimization and a mobile phase consisting of a 50:50 (v/v) mixture of ethanol and 1% aqueous acetic acid (v/v), the separation was carried out on a Zorbax column (SB-C18, 150 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) with a flow rate of 1 ml/min and a detection wavelength of 217 nm.

Results: Acesulfame K had retention duration of 1.134 minutes and Saccharin Na of 2.134 minutes. Acesulfame K and Saccharin Na recovery rates varied among different commercially available food samples, ranging from 65-102% and 75-101%, respectively.

Conclusion: At the defined operating point, the developed procedure displays conformity with the previously defined requirements for linearity, accuracy, sensitivity, and repeatability. The most accurate assessments of greenness were produced by the GAPI, AES, and AGREE tools. Results from the Red-Green-Blue 12 (RGB 12) algorithm for whiteness and BAGI for blueness indicate that the method is very practical, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly.

Highlights: The results of this study could pave the way for more eco-friendly and effective AQbD methods to be used in the future for evaluating various sweeteners using green solvents.