Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry determination of the pentafluorobenzoyl derivative of methylhydrazine in false morel (Gyromitra esculenta) as a monitor for the content of the toxin gyromitrin

The main toxic compound found in false morel (Gyromitra esculenta) is acetaldehyde-N-methyl-N-formylhydrazone (gyromitrin). This paper describes a method of determining the total hydrazones content based on acid hydrolysis of gyromitrin and other related hydrazones in air-dried false morel followed by derivatisation of methylhydrazine with pentafluorobenzoyl chloride. The derivative, tris-pentafluorobenzoyl methylhydrazine (tris-PFB-MH) is analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The overall precision of the method is better than 10% (relative standard deviation) for 0.5 ng/μl methylhydrazine in solution. The minimum detectable concentration of methylhydrazine (tris-PFB-MH) by this method is estimated to be approximately 12 pg/μl, which is equal to 0.3 μg/g dry matter (DM) of false morel.