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Simultaneous chromatographic analysis of photoinitiators and amine synergists in food contact materials

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Abstract

Photoinitiators (PIs) are components of UV-cured inks widely used in printing of food packaging. These substances can migrate into food and may be a hazard to human health. High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC–DAD) has been used for analysis of PIs and amine synergists in food packaging. Analysis was performed with a Kromasil C18 column (250 mm × 3.2 mm i.d., 5 μm particle size) with a binary mobile phase gradient prepared from acetonitrile and Milli-Q water. The flow rate was 0.5 mL min−1. The method enables separation of fourteen PIs and amine synergists in a single run. The method was validated for linearity, repeatability, and limits of detection and quantification. Excellent sensitivity (LODs ≤ 1.56 μg dm2) and appropriate repeatability (RSD (n = 10) <0.9 %) were achieved. Different types of food packaging material including plastic films, cardboard, and cans were analyzed and PIs were detected in 47 % of the samples tested (n = 17). Positive samples were confirmed by use of LC–MS–MS in positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mode.

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Acknowledgments

The study was financially supported by the “Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad”, ref. no. AGL/2011-26531 “Migratin”. The authors are grateful to the “Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” for the Predoctoral fellowship FPI (ref. BES-2012-051993) awarded to Miguel Ángel Lago. Raquel Sendón is grateful to the “Parga Pondal” program financed by the “Consellería de Innovación e Industria, Xunta de Galicia” for her postdoctoral contract. The authors are also grateful to Patricia Blanco, Cristina Casal, and Gonzalo Hermelo for their excellent technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    M. A. Lago, A. Rodríguez-Bernaldo de Quirós, R. Sendón & P. Paseiro

  2. National Center for Food, Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition, 28220, Majadahonda, Spain

    J. Bustos & M. I. Santillana

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  1. M. A. Lago
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  2. A. Rodríguez-Bernaldo de Quirós
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  3. R. Sendón
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  6. P. Paseiro
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Correspondence to A. Rodríguez-Bernaldo de Quirós.

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Lago, M.A., Rodríguez-Bernaldo de Quirós, A., Sendón, R. et al. Simultaneous chromatographic analysis of photoinitiators and amine synergists in food contact materials. Anal Bioanal Chem 406, 4251–4259 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-014-7792-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-014-7792-x

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