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High-throughput determination of vitamin E in extra virgin olive oil by paper spray tandem mass spectrometry

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Abstract

Extra virgin olive oil provides an important intake of α-tocopherol, which is part of vitamin E complex. A fast analytical method for its quantification, based on paper spray mass spectrometry, has been developed. The methodology possesses the ability to record mass spectra without sample preparation or preseparation steps. The experiments were performed in Multiple Reaction Monitoring scan mode; in particular, the transitions m/z 429 → m/z 163 for α-tocopherol and m/z 435 → m/z 169 for the labeled internal standard were monitored, in order to obtain the greatest specificity and the best sensitivity. The accuracy of the method was tested analyzing spiked samples prepared at concentrations within the dynamic range of the calibration curve, which returned values near 100%. Furthermore, good values of LOQ and LOD were obtained, demonstrating that this approach can be applied for a rapid screening of tocopherols in different vegetable oils. The results were compared with analyses performed by traditional chromatographic methods.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the University of Calabria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università della Calabria, Via P. Bucci Cubo 12/C, 87036, Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy

    Lucia Bartella, Leonardo Di Donna, Anna Napoli, Giovanni Sindona & Fabio Mazzotti

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  1. Lucia Bartella
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  2. Leonardo Di Donna
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  3. Anna Napoli
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  4. Giovanni Sindona
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Correspondence to Fabio Mazzotti.

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Bartella, L., Di Donna, L., Napoli, A. et al. High-throughput determination of vitamin E in extra virgin olive oil by paper spray tandem mass spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem 411, 2885–2890 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-019-01727-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-019-01727-z

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