Simultaneous determination of ethyl carbamate and chloropropanols in flavorings by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry

A simultaneous determination method for ethyl carbamate (EC) and chloropropanols (3-monochloropropane-1, 2-diol (3-MCPD) and 2-monochloropropane-1, 3-diol (2-MCPD)) in flavorings was developed by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). After spiked with internal standard, the sample was extracted by matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction technique with an Extrelut NT column. Hexane was used to wash the fat soluble matrix interferences and then an ethyl acetate-ethyl ether (20: 80, v/v) mixture was added to elute the analytes. The concentrated extract was detected by GC-MS/MS in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The limits of detection (LODs) were 2, 5 and 5 mu g/kg for EC, 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD, respectively. The linear ranges were 5 - 1 000 mu g/kg (r = 0.9997), 10-1000 mu g/kg (r = 0.999 1) and 10-1000 mu g/kg (r = 0.999 5) for EC, 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD, respectively. In soy sauce, yellow rice wine, salami sauce and flavoring of instant noodle matrices, the recoveries (RSDs, n = 7) in MRM mode at the levels of 20, 100 and 400 mu g/kg were 87.7% - 104% (4.3% - 10.7%), 90.1% - 109% (2.6% - 10.2%), and 90.9%-103% (3.0% - 9.5%), respectively. EC, 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD were found in some real samples of the soy sauce, wine and flavoring of instant noodle. EC or 3-MCPD was found in some of the salami samples. The method is accurate, fast and suitable for the simultaneous determination of EC, 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD in flavorings.