Simultaneous determination of 3-MCPD fatty acid esters and glycidol fatty acid esters in edible oils using liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/TOF-MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol fatty acid esters (3-MCPDEs) and glycidol fatty acid esters (GEs) in edible oils. Three species of 3-MCPD monoesters, six species of 3-MCPD diesters, and five species of GE were evaluated. The analytes were extracted by solid-phase extraction and were eluted through a Waters UPLC C18 chromatography column with a gradient mobile phase of methanol containing sodium formate. The detection was performed by selected ion monitoring for the respective sodiated adducts of the target compounds. The system was precise (with relative standard deviation (RSD) of retention time below 1.7%) and sensitive, with a limit of detection (LOD) of less than 0.16 ng/mL for GEs, 0.86 ng/mL for 3-MCPD monoesters, and 0.22 ng/mL for 3-MCPD diesters. The recoveries of GEs and 3-MCPDEs from oil samples were in the range of 62.6-108.8%, with RSD ranging between 1.5 and 11.3%. The method has been successfully applied to determine these compounds in edible oil samples.

► We examine a LC/TOF-MS method for 3-MCPD esters and glycidol fatty acid esters. ► Solid-phase extraction was used as the sample clean-up procedure. ► This method has been successfully applied to determine the compounds in oil samples.