I have been working on the quantitative analysis of plant extract. For the determination of TPC and TFC I have taken four extracts hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous. I was able to determine the TPC and TFC for all the extracts except the hexane extract. After repeated experiments I found that phenol was absent in the hexane extract, however it is showing the presence of flavanoids. Can someone explain me why am I facing this issue? Thank you .
Phenolic compounds have a wide range of polarities. Some are more polar and would not be well solubilized in non-polar hexane. Flavonoids tend to be more non-polar, so they can dissolve better in hexane. The more polar phenolics are likely to dissolve better in your other more polar solvents (ethyl acetate, methanol, and water). It is also possible that something in the hexane extract is interfering with the chemistry of the assay you are using to detect total phenols. Flavonoids use a different detection method, so they are unaffected. You may need to try a different phenol quantification method that is less prone to interference.
@madhushmita Nath
From my experience, I have to say yes, a plant extract in hexane can show absence of total phenol. Hexane is a non-polar solvent and is not typically used to extract phenolic compounds from plants. Therefore, if a plant extract in hexane shows absence of total phenol, it may indicate that the phenolic compounds were not effectively extracted using this solvent. To determine the presence or absence of total phenol, a specific assay or test such as the Folin-Ciocalteu method can be used.
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