Liquid chromatographic determination of sodium saccharin, caffeine, aspartame, and sodium benzoate in cola beverages.

A rapid method has been developed for the determination of sodium saccharin, caffeine, aspartame, and sodium benzoate in cola beverages. The sample is degassed, diluted in water, and injected onto a C18 column. The mobile phase consists of 15% acetonitrile in triethylammonium phosphate buffer adjusted to pH 4.3 with NaOH. The total run time is less than 10 min and the active compounds are determined using absorbance detection at 214 nm.