Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (MCPD) and analysis of its esters from edible oils by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Optimization of Determination Method of Cooling Agents in Cigarette Tipping Paper by Gas Chromatography

Monitoring the characteristic components in tipping paper is important to ensure the quality of cigarette products. This study establishes a method based on gas chromatography (GC) for determining cooling agents in tipping paper. The tipping paper was cut into pieces and extracted by ethanol under specific temperatures in a shaker. Then, the characteristic cooling agents of (-)-menthone, L-menthol, and (-)-menthyl lactate in extract were determined using GC coupled with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) for the three cooling agents ranged from 0.15~0.32 μg/mL and 0.49~1.06 μg/mL, respectively. Results demonstrated a good linear relationship with high correlation coefficients for the three tested cooling agents. The extraction conditions of the cooling agents were optimized through a single-factor experiment as well as an orthogonal experiment. The standard addition recovery experiment showed that the average recoveries range from 81.23 to 100.62%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the measured values (n = 5) ranged from 0.34 to 1.64%.

A boronic acid-modified C60 derivatization reagent for the rapid detection of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) is a well-known contaminant formed in food thermal processing, which could be found in a variety of foodstuffs. Due to its potential carcinogenicity, it was essential to quickly develop a rapid and high-throughput analytical method to monitor 3-MCPD in foodstuffs, which is described in this study.

METHODS

3-MCPD was extracted from foodstuffs and then was derivatized with a boronic acid-modified C₆₀ (B-C₆₀ ) through the boronic acid-diol reaction. Microwave heating was used to accelerate the derivatization reaction. Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis was conducted using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-MS (MALDI-MS). The application of the method was validated using various smoked food samples.

RESULTS

The chemical derivatization of 3-MCPD with B-C₆₀ enabled the addition of a C₆₀ -tag to 3-MCPD. High-throughput analysis of the sample within 0.5 h was realized. A good linear range from 0.02 to 1.5 μg mL^-1 for 3-MCPD was obtained, with a detection limit of 0.005 μg mL^-1 . The recoveries in spiked foodstuffs ranged from 85.4% to 115.1% with relative standard deviations of 2.0%-14.2%. This method was successfully applied to detect 3-MCPD in smoked foodstuffs.

CONCLUSIONS

A quantitative method was developed for the detection of 3-MCPD in foodstuffs using B-C₆₀ derivatization combined with MALDI-MS strategy. This proposed method may serve as a potential platform for the rapid and high-throughput analysis of 3-MCPD in foodstuffs for the purpose of food safety control.

Identification of 3-chloro-1,2-propandiol using molecularly imprinted composite solid-phase extraction materials

A novel molecularly imprinted material based on silica microparticles was synthesized by surface polymerization with 3-chloro-1,2-propandiol (3-MCPD) as a template molecule. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was characterized by infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The adsorption of 3-MCPD by MIP was measured by gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC-ECD) and an equilibrium binding experiment. Scatchard analysis revealed that the maximum apparent binding capacities of the MIP and non-imprinted polymer (NIP) were 67.64 and 23.31 μmol/g, respectively. The new adsorbent was successfully used in solid-phase extraction (SPE) to selectively enrich and determine 3-MCPD in soy sauce samples. The MIP-SPE column achieves recoveries higher than 92.7% with a relative standard deviation of less than 1.83%. The MIP-SPE-GC protocol improved the selectivity and eliminated the effects of template leakage on quantitative analysis and could be used for the determination of 3-MCPD in other complex food samples.