HPLC COUPLED WITH ION TRAP MS/MS FOR ANALYSIS OF TERTIARY BUTYLHYDROQUINONE IN EDIBLE OIL SAMPLES

ABSTRACT

A rapid, sensitive, precise and accurate quantitative liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for the measurement of tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) in commercial edible oil was developed and validated. After extraction, samples without prior concentration were analyzed by ion trap MS/MS in MS and MS/MS negative ion detection modes using electrospray ionization. The method showed satisfactory recovery (81.9 ± 1.9–109.6 ± 4.6%), sensitivity (lower limit of quantitation of 48 µg/L for TBHQ) and precision (≤5.2%), as well as excellent linearity (R² ≥ 0.99), with a run time of only 5 min. The method was successfully applied to the determination of TBHQ in commercial samples of edible oils containing various natural antioxidants, providing a promising and convenient entry to monitor the use of TBHQ.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

HPLC coupled with the ion trap tandem mass spectrometry method with high selectivity, sensitivity, precision and accuracy is suitable for routine quality control analysis of tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) in edible oils. Analyzing each oil sample by this method takes only 5 min. Moreover, the evaluation of TBHQ in commercial edible oil by this method does not suffer from interference of some coexisting potential peculiar chemical components.