Migration studies of chloropropanols from paper straws: an improved method using GC-MS/MS

ABSTRACT

An optimised method was established for the determination of four chloropropanols in paper straws, namely 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol(1,3-DCP), 2,3-dichloropropan-1-ol (2,3-DCP), 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) and 2-monochloropropane-1,3-diol (2-MCPD). After extraction with a food simulant, purification with matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD), and derivatisation using heptafluorobutyrylimidazole (HFBI), the chloropropanols were analysed by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), and quantified with a deuterated internal standard. Under the optimised conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.200 µg/L for the four target compounds. The recoveries were in the range of 71.4% – 119.4% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.4% – 9.9%. The method fulfilled the requirements of the European regulations for the quantification of 3-MCPD and 1,3-DCP. Fifteen paperboard straws were tested using the proposed method. The results showed that 1,3-DCP and 3-MCPD exhibited the highest detection rate among the four chloropropanols tested (93.3%). the method can be used to detect chloropropanol contamination in paperboard products, and further to guide food manufacturers to reduce the levels of chloropropanols in paperboard food contact materials.

KEYWORDS:

• Chloropropanols
• 3-MCPD
• migration test
• GC-MS/MS
• paper straw

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Health Science and Technology Project of Beijing Dongcheng District, the National Natural Science Foundation of China [32061160474]; National Key Research and Development Program of China [2017YFC1600500].