Determination of furfural in beers, vinegars and infant formulas by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Abstract

The solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique with on-fibre derivatisation was evaluated for the analysis of furfural in infant formulas, beers, and vinegars. The poly(dimethylsiloxane)/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fibre was used and O-2,3,4,5,6-(pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine hydrochloride (PFBHA) was first loaded onto the fibre. Food sample of 2 mL was then placed in a 4 mL PTFE-capped glass vial. Headspace extraction by the SPME fibre was performed at 80°C for 20 min under 1100 rpm magnetic stirring with the addition of 40% sodium chloride. Afterwards, the SPME fibre was directly desorbed at the injection port of a gas chromatography/mass spectrometer (GC/MS), followed by the analysis of derivatives formed on-fibre. To avoid matrix interferences, standard addition method was performed. The adsorption-time profiles were examined. The precision, recovery and method detection limits (MDLs) were evaluated with spiked food samples. The relative standard deviations from different spiked samples were all less than 5% and the recoveries were 100 ± 5%. With 2 mL of food sample, MDLs were in the range of 3.09 ∼ 14.05 µg L⁻¹. Compared with other techniques, the study shown here provided a simple, fast and reliable method for the analysis of furfural in food samples.

Keywords:

• solid-phase microextraction
• O-2,3,4,5,6-(pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine hydrochloride
• furfural
• gas chromatography
• food samples

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by grant from the National Science Council, Executive Yuan, Taiwan (NSC 93-2320-B-039-012).