Simultaneous determination of four organotins in food packaging by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Simultaneous Determination of Five Organotins in Tropical Fruits Using Modified QuEChERS Combined with Ultra-high Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A sensitive, confirmatory ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based on modified QuEChERS was developed and validated to detect five organotin compounds (tributyltin chloride (TBT), triphenyltin chloride (TPT), trimethyltin chloride (TMT), azocyclotin and cyhexatin) in classical tropical fruits (mango, pineapple and banana). Fruits samples were ultrasonically extracted with methanol and subsequently purified by graphitized carbon black adsorbents. Five organotins were separated on a C18 column with the mobile phase of a mixture of methanol and 0.1% (v/v) aqueous formic acid, and detected by MS/MS under multiple reaction monitoring mode. The developed method was validated in terms of linearity, limit of detection (LOD), recovery and precision. Results were linear in their corresponding concentration ranges, with coefficients of determination (r) bigger than 0.999. The average LODs (S/N = 3) of the method for TBT, TPT, TMT, azocyclotin and cyhexatin were 1.3, 3.5, 3.2, 5.1 and 1.7 μg/kg, respectively. The average recoveries (n = 5) at three spiked levels (0.01, 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg) ranged from 69 to 103% with relative standard deviations of 2.1-11.9%. The method is simple, effective, accurate and non-derivatized, and meets the routine monitoring requirements for trace organotins in tropical fruits.

[Determination of Tributyltin and Triphenyltin in Fish and Shellfish Using Accelerated Solvent Extraction and Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry]

A determination method for tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) in fish and shellfish using an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) and LC-MS/MS was developed. The chromatographic separation was conducted on a Poroshell 120 EC-C18 column using an isocratic mobile phase of 0.1% formic acid in 70% methanol. Sample preparation was performed using ASE at 125℃ with n-hexane and a cleanup using a Florisil cartridge. Internal calibration curves using deuterium-labeled TBT and TPT were employed for quantification. For both TBT and TPT, the calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.2-250 ng/mL, and the method quantification limits were 0.8 ng/g for both TBT and TPT. A National Institute for Environmental Studies certified reference material, No. 15 (adductor muscle of scallop), was analyzed to assess the performance of the developed method. The trueness, relative standard deviations of repeatability, and within laboratory reproducibility of this method, evaluated using a recovery test with four spiked fish species and one shellfish, ranged from 89.3 to 105.3%, 1.0 to 4.5%, and 1.3 to 7.6%, respectively.

Ultrasensitive determination of organotin compounds in plastic food packaging and edible oils by sheathless capillary electrophoresis-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry

The determination of trace-amount organotins in plastic food packaging materials is of great significance in food safety. However, due to the complexity of organotins and sample treatment processes, it is still a challenging task. Here, we report a method for the sensitive and simultaneous determination of organotins in plastic food packaging materials and edible oils, by utilizing sheathless capillary electrophoresis-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. The method of sample pretreatment with ultrasonic extraction and solid phase extraction is used to eliminate interference. The results showed low limits of detection (LODs) of 2 pg mL^-1-50 pg mL^-1 and excellent inter/intra-day repeatability. Good average recoveries in the range of 80.27% to 108.52% were obtained at three spiked concentrations, with a relative standard deviation less than 8.71%. The successful simultaneous determination of the target analytes will pave the way for further assessment of contamination and migration behaviour of organotins from packaging materials to food, which is of great significance for evaluating and controlling food safety.

Simultaneous determination of three organotin pesticides in fruits and vegetables by high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

The presence of organotins in the environment affects food safety, making it important to monitor the levels of organotin pesticides (OTPs) in fruit and vegetable samples.

METHODS

In the present study, a simple and low cost method for simultaneous determination of three OTPs (azocyclotin, fenbutatin oxide and triphenyltin hydroxide) in vegetable and fruit samples was developed and validated, based on solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Extraction with acetonitrile containing 0.2% formic acid positively affected the recoveries of the three OTPs. Moreover, the simultaneous purification of the three OTPs was the most efficient using mixed-mode cation-exchange cartridges and 5.0% ammonium hydroxide in methanol as eluent, and, in this case, mild matrix effects (-9.3% to 21.6%) were obtained for the three OTPs monitored. The developed method reached limits of quantification of 1 μg kg^-1 , and linearity was satisfactory, with correlation coefficients >0.995. A fortification study showed that when spiked at 1.0-50.0 μg kg^-1 the mean trueness values were from 72.3 to 110.0% in all matrices (three vegetables and three fruits). The intra-day precision was <14.1%, and the inter-day precision (n = 11) was <18.2%.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed method was successfully applied to the simultaneous analysis of three OTPs in vegetables and fruits.

Syntheses, characterization, DNA/BSA binding, and in vitro cytostatic activity of fluorobenzenetelluronic triorganotin(iv) esters

A new series of fluorobenzenetelluronic triorganotin(iv) esters (1–6) have been synthesized by the reaction of deprotonated fluorobenzenetelluronic acid ligands and the corresponding R₃SnCl (R = Me, Ph).

Food metabolomics: from farm to human

Metabolomics, one of the latest components in the suite of systems biology, has been used to understand the metabolism and physiology of living systems, including microorganisms, plants, animals and humans. Food metabolomics can be defined as the application of metabolomics in food systems, including food resources, food processing and diet for humans. The study of food metabolomics has increased gradually in the recent years, because food systems are directly related to nutrition and human health. This review describes the recent trends and applications of metabolomics to food systems, from farm to human, including food resource production, industrial food processing and food intake by humans.