Development and validation of an UHPLC-qTOF-MS method for the quantification of cyclic polyester oligomers in pasta by applying a modified QuEChERS clean-up

An Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography method has been developed for the analysis of 11 cyclic polyester oligomers, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) 1st series cyclic oligomers (dimer - heptamer), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) dimer to pentamer and polyurethane oligomers (PU, dimer) in pasta, combined with a modified QuEChERS clean-up with Al2O3/PSA. A standard addition method was applied for quantification with limits of quantification ranging from 3.2 - 21.3 ng g-1. Good accuracy was observed, with recoveries ranging from 86.4 - 109.8% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) lower than 12 % for all analytes at two concentration levels. The matrix effect on the measured analytes’ signals never exceeded ± 2.5 %. The method was successfully applied to real commercial pasta samples, where the PET 1st series cyclic trimer was the most abundant oligomer, being found in all tested samples. The 1st series PET cyclic dimer and tetramer, as well as AA-DEG, were found in considerable amounts. Traces of the 2nd and 3rd series PET cyclic dimers have also been identified.

TSOCHATZIS Emmanouil D.;  ALBERTO LOPES João Filipe;  HELEN Gika;  KASTRUP DALSGAARD Trine;  THEODORIDIS Georgios; 

2022-12-13

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

JRC122302

0308-8146 (online),   

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030881462100042X,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC122302,   

10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129040 (online),