Abstract:

An analytic method using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the determination of 4 perfluoroalkane sulfonates in food contact materials. Samples were extracted using methanol with ultrasonic assistance. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 column using a mixture of methanol and a 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate aqueous solution as elution solvent for gradient elution. A 13C-labelled PFOS standard was used for the quantification of perfluoroalkane sulfonates. The developed method displayed a limit of detection of 0.5μg/kg and a linear range of 0.5－10μg/kg. Mean recoveries (6 replicates) for 4 perfluoroalkane sulfonates in a negative sample spiked at the levels of 1.0, 2.0μg/kg and 3.0μg/kg ranged from 91.1% to 112.8 %. This method proved to be an accurate and rapid method and was successfully used to detect 16 commercial food contact materials.

Key words: food contact materials, perfluoroalkane sulfonates, high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), isotope-labeled internal standard method