Quantitative analysis of ellagic acid in hardwood samples

A high-pressure liquid chromatographic method for the quantitative analysis of ellagic acid in hardwood samples has been developed. Its low detection limit sand very wide linear range allow analysis of dust samples collected on filters in occupational health activities or of wood samples in material s :research. Several red oaks (Quercus robur) contain comparable amounts (1 9-63 mg ellagic acid/g wood) of ellagic acid as white oak (Quercus alba, 41 mg/g) or walnut (Juglans nigra, 28 mg/g) and chestnut (Castanea sativa, 89 mg/g) wood samples. In view of the roles of ellagitannins in oak wood stre ngth or their postulated biological effects, this simple analytical method might find many direct applications. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.