Assessment of the breakdown products of solar/UV induced photolytic degradation of food dye tartrazine

Abstract

The food dye tartrazine (CI 19140) was exposed to UV irradiation from an artificial source, a mercury vapor lamp, and a natural one, sunlight. It was observed that conditions such as energy dose, irradiation time, pH and initial dye concentration affected its discoloration. There was 100% of color removal, after 30min of irradiation, when a dye solution 1×10-5molL-1 was submitted to an energy dose of 37.8Jcm-2. Liquid Chromatography coupled to Diode Array Detection and Mass Spectrometry confirmed the cleavage of the chromophore group and the formation of five by-products at low concentration. Although by-products were formed, the Salmonella/microsome mutagenicity assay performed for both, the dye solution at a dose of 5.34mg/plate and the solutions obtained after exposure to UV irradiation, did not present mutagenic activity for TA98 and TA100 with and without S9. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

The food dye tartrazine (CI 19140) was exposed to UV irradiation from an artificial source, a mercury vapor lamp, and a natural one, sunlight. It was observed that conditions such as energy dose, irradiation time, pH and initial dye concentration affected