A simplified method for the determination of volatiles in eggs using headspace analysis with a photoionization detector

Abstract

Headspace sampling of whole eggs at 50°C was used to determine benzene, toluene, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, chlorobenzene, ethylbenzene, ortho-, meta-, and para-xylenes as sources of contamination. A 30-m, 0.53-mm ID fused silica capillary column coated with 1.0 μm (5%) methyl silicone attached to a photoionization detector was used to separate and detect the volatiles. The sensitivity of the method was 0.002 μg/mL with an average precision for all nine compounds of 16.5 ±3.1% (n = 10) for a 0.01 μg/ml standard.