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Meeting the European Commission performance criteria for the use of triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS as a confirmatory method for PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in food and feed samples

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Abstract

Until recently, European Union (EU) legislation required the use of high-resolution gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC-HRMS) based on magnetic sector analyzers as a standard approach for confirmatory analysis of dioxins (PCDDs) and furans (PCDFs) in feed and food. However, recent technological advances in MS instruments enabled other alternative analytical techniques to meet the same analytical criteria as those requested for HRGC-HRMS. In this sense, triple quadrupoles (GC-MS/MS) can be a realistic alternative for the analysis of dioxins. In this work, the performance of GC-MS/MS technology was evaluated against the criteria demanded by the EU for confirmatory analysis of dioxins and PCBs in food and feed. Thus, the study comprises a number of parameters including chromatographic separation, limit of quantification, linearity, repeatability, and ion ratio precision. Analyses of solvent standards as well as sample extracts (inter-calibration extracts and certified reference materials) were also considered within the scope of this study. Additionally, direct comparisons of the results obtained by GC-MS/MS with those from GC-HRMS were made. The results of this work suggested that GC-MS/MS was highly sensitive and selective for confirmatory analysis of PCDD/Fs and related compounds in food and feed samples and meets all the criteria requested by the European Commission.

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Acknowledgments

The authors want to thank M.G. Martrat, M. Adrados, J. Parera, and O. Palacios for their participation and contribution to the project. In addition, the authors would like to thank Brock Chittim of Wellington Laboratories for providing analytical standards. D.P. gratefully acknowledges COLCIENCIAS for her doctoral fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, C/ Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Manuela Ábalos, Diana M. Pemberthy, Jordi Sauló & Esteban Abad

  2. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Tudor Road, Manor Park, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 1TA, UK

    Cristian I. Cojocariu, Paul Silcock & Dominic Roberts

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Environmental Catalysis Group, University of Antioquia, street 70 No. 52-2, 050001, Medellín, Colombia

    Diana M. Pemberthy

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  1. Manuela Ábalos
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  2. Cristian I. Cojocariu
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Ábalos, M., Cojocariu, C.I., Silcock, P. et al. Meeting the European Commission performance criteria for the use of triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS as a confirmatory method for PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in food and feed samples. Anal Bioanal Chem 408, 3511–3525 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9428-9

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