Direct sample introduction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of haloanisole compounds in cork stoppers

•Direct sample introduction proved to be suitable for GC-MS analysis of cork stoppers.•DSI-GC-MS provided a high sensitivity for determining haloanisole compounds.•The procedure studied is suitable for screening purposes.

A solventless analytical method is proposed for analyzing the compounds responsible for cork taint in cork stoppers. Direct sample introduction (DSI) is evaluated as a sample introduction system for the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) determination of four haloanisoles (HAs) in cork samples. Several parameters affecting the DSI step, including desorption temperature and time, gas flow rate and other focusing parameters, were optimized using univariate and multivariate approaches. The proposed method shows high sensitivity and minimises sample handling, with detection limits of 1.6-2.6 ng g−1, depending on the compound. The suitability of the optimized procedure as a screening method was evaluated by obtaining decision limits (CCα) and detection capabilities (CCβ) for each analyte, which were found to be in 6.9-11.8 and 8.7-14.8 ng g−1, respectively, depending on the compound. Twenty-four cork samples were analysed, and 2,4,6-trichloroanisole was found in four of them at levels between 12.6 and 53 ng g−1.