Advanced method optimization for volatile aroma profiling of beer using two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The complex mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the headspace of Trappist and craft beers was studied to illustrate the efficiency of thermal desorption (TD) comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) for highlighting subtle differences between highly complex mixtures of VOCs. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), multiple (and classical) stir bar sorptive extraction (mSBSE), static headspace (SHS), and dynamic headspace (DHS) were compared for the extraction of a set of 21 representative flavor compounds of beer aroma. A Box-Behnken surface response methodology experimental design optimization (DOE) was used for convex hull calculation (Delaunay's triangulation algorithms) of peak dispersion in the chromatographic space. The predicted value of 0.5 for the ratio between the convex hull and the available space was 10% higher than the experimental value, demonstrating the usefulness of the approach to improve optimization of the GC×GC separation. Chemical variations amongst aligned chromatograms were studied by means of Fisher Ratio (FR) determination and F-distribution threshold filtration at different significance levels (α=0.05 and 0.01) and based on z-score normalized area for data reduction. Statistically significant compounds were highlighted following principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The dendrogram structure not only provided clear visual information about similarities between products but also permitted direct identification of the chemicals and their relative weight in clustering. The effective coupling of DHS-TD-GC×GC-TOFMS with PCA and HCA was able to highlight the differences and common typical VOC patterns among 24 samples of different Trappist and selected Canadian craft beers.

Measurement of emerging dechloranes in human serum using modulated gas chromatography coupled to electron capture negative ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: Quite recently, the presence of significant amounts of several emerging Dechlorane (Dec) flame retardants (FRs) was reported in environmental and biota samples, principally from Canada and China, but also from Europe. Several molecules were identified, e.g. Dec 602, 603, 604, Dechlorane Plus (DP), and Chlordene Plus (CP). Gas chromatography (GC) coupled to electron ionization (EI) high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is typically used for their measurement in various matrices based on hexachlorocyclopentadiene (HCCPD) fragment ions at m/z 271.8102/273.8072. METHODS: We investigated the use of GC with cryogenic zone compression and electron capture negative ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CZC-GC/ECNI-TOFMS) to measure Dechlorane compounds at low levels in human serum. The TOFMS instrument provided a resolving power of 5000 (FWHM) with an acquisition rate of 25 Hz and was equipped with a specific low thermal emission filament, which allowed it to perform reproducibly in ECNI mode at ion source temperatures as low as 140°C, thus yielding a signal for the molecular ion cluster. RESULTS: The method provided comparable sensitivity to the GC/EI-SectorHRMS technique used in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode, and specificity for the target Dechlorane compounds. The method was applied on human serum samples and quantification was performed for Dec 602, Dec 603, and CP, ranging from 0.1 to 10 ng/g lipid weight levels. The main drawbacks of the method are the high instrument detection limits (IDLs) obtained for DP and Dec 604. The method would benefit from even softer ionization and better ion transmission. CONCLUSIONS: The main advantages of the present method are the selectivity, as detection is based on the molecular ion signal, and the use of good mass accuracy combined with isotopic distribution calculation for molecular formulae investigation of halogenated compounds. This methodology should facilitate the monitoring of emerging Dechlorane contaminants in future studies, and possibly extend the scope to untargeted emerging analogues. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ultra-trace measurement of Dechloranes to investigate food as a route of human exposure.

Dechloranes, including Dechlorane Plus (syn- and anti-isomers), Dechlorane 602, Dechlorane 603, Dechlorane 604, Chlordene Plus, and Mirex are used as flame-retardants and were recently found in human serum of the European population. In order to investigate if food consumption would possibly be a significant route of exposure, we developed a method for the measurement of Dechloranes in food and feed. We showed that it was possible to extend the scope of the regular polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin like (DL-), and non-dioxin like (NDL-) regulated PCBs clean-up and fractionation procedure to Dechloranes and that no compound degradation occurred during the strong acidic treatments used for lipid digestion. Dechloranes were measured by gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-QQQMS/MS). We optimized injection parameters by face centered experimental design (FCD). The electron ionization fragmentation was investigated to set appropriate multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions. Instrumental and method limits of quantitation (iLOQs and mLOQs) were determined following EU guidelines for dioxin analyses in food. A total of 88 samples were analyzed to assess the prevalence of this route of exposure to humans. Average levels of the sum of Dechloranes ranged from 10 to 31pg/g fat, with the exception of fish, feed additives, and corn that were reported in pg/g wet weight at average levels of 9, 12, and 2pg/g ww. Based on Belgian food habits, a dietary intake was estimated to be 136pg/day. The relatively low reported levels indicate that other routes of human exposure should be considered.