Analysis for chloroanisoles and chlorophenols in cork by stir bar sorptive extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A complete methodology for the determination of chloroanisoles and chlorophenols in cork material is proposed. The determination is accomplished by means of a previous liquid-solid extraction followed by stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Two different liquid-solid extraction experiments were conducted and eight compounds considered (2,6-dichloroanisole, 2,4-dichloroanisole, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 2,3,4,6-tetrachloroanisole, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, pentachloroanisole and pentachlorophenol). From the results obtained we can conclude that high volume extraction extending extraction time up to 24 h is the best choice if we have to release compounds from the inner surfaces of cork stoppers. Recovery percentages ranged from 51% for pentachloroanisole to 81% for 2,4-dichloroanisole. This method allows the determination of an array of compounds involved in cork taint at very low levels from 1.2 ng g−1 for 2,4,6-tricholoroanisole to 23.03 ng g−1 for 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol.