Simultaneous analysis of polyethylene glycol in dietary supplement tablets using high-performance liquid chromatography and verification with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) are widely applied in detergents, cosmetics, and food additives. A simultaneous analytical method was developed to detection the polyethylene glycol (100-10000 Da). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) could analyze successively PEG products. The method was verified with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). The retention times of PEG 200-8000 ranged from 1.97 to 12.33 min. Method validation was performed to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines and the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS); linearity: R-2 > 0.997, LOD: 7.47-16.24 mu g/mL, LOQ: 22.40-75 mu g/mL, repeatability (%RSD): 0.2-2.5, recovery (%): 90.4-104.9% for film-coated tablet, 80.1-95.9% for sugar-coated tablet. A total of 115 PEG could be identified by extracted ion chromatography in mass analysis, based on the charge state represented as [M+Na++H3On-1+]. This method can be applied for successive identification of PEGs in PEG-containing products.