Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of capsaicin.

A simple and accurate method has been developed for the quantitative determination of capsaicin in capsicum spices and their oleosresins. Capsaicin is extracted with acetone and separated from interfering substances, using an activated alumina column. The column is first eluted with acetone, and then the capsaicin is eluted with acetone-methanol-water (75+25+2). The capsaicin is quantitated by gas-liquid chromatography, using a Carbowax 20M-Teflon column and piperine as an internal standard. Results can be calculated as per cent capsaicin or Scoville units. Recovery of added capsaicin averaged 101%.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic screening method for determination of methyl mercury in tuna and swordfish

A rapid screening method has been developed for determining methyl mercury in tuna and swordfish. Fish tissue is blended with acidic KBr solution to release methyl mercury, which is then extracted into methylene chloride. After cleanup by partitioning with cysteine, the methyl mercury is extracted into toluene and determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The proposed method compares favorably with the official AOAC atomic absorption method.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of technical chlordane residues in food crops: interpretation of analytical data.

An interlaboratory investigation of technical chlordane residues in food crops was carried out to determine the most practical and consistent method of reporting results. Using a technical chlordane reference standard, 8 gas chromatographic stationary phases were studied for their resolution capabilities. The best separations were obtained with SE-30 and its OV-1 equivalent. Using these columns and electron capture detection, potatoes and carrots from supervised field experiments were analyzed in duplicate and quantitated by using 4 methods of calculation. The data were statistically treated to determine the precision and bias for each method. Also, 1 sample was analyzed in duplicate on 2 different occasions by 6 laboratories to substantiate the initial conclusions. Based on the criterion of high precision it is suggested that a comparison of total area under the chromatogram of the sample with total area of standard technical chlordane be the method of quantitation. Only peaks which are common to both standard and sample have any significance in this type of calculation.     

Simplified multiresidue method for liquid chromatographic determination of N-methyl carbamate insecticides in fruits and vegetables

A simplified method is described for determining 7 N-methyl carbamates (aldicarb, carbaryl, carbofuran, methiocarb, methomyl, oxamyl, and propoxur) and 3 related metabolites (aldicarb sulfoxide, aldicarb sulfone, and 3-hydroxy carbofuran) in fruits and vegetables. Residues are extracted from crops with methanol; coextractives are then separated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) or GPC with on-line Nuchar-Celite cleanup for crops with high chlorophyll and/or carotene content (e.g., cabbage and broccoli). Carbamates are separated on a reverse-phase liquid chromatography column, using a methanol-water gradient mobile phase. Separation is followed by postcolumn hydrolysis to yield methylamine, and the formation of a fluorophore with o-phthalaldehyde and 2-mercaptoethanol prior to fluorescence detection. Recovery data were obtained by fortifying 5 different crops (apples, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, and potatoes) at 0.05 and 0.5 ppm. Recoveries averaged 93% at both fortification levels except for the very polar aldicarb sulfoxide for which recoveries averaged around 52% at both levels. The coefficient of variation of the method at both levels is less than 5% and the limit of detection, defined at 5 times baseline noise, varies between 5 and 10 ppb, depending on the compound.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of nikethamide in injectable preparations.

A gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) method, using a 4% XE-60 on 80-100 mesh Gas-Chrom Q column, a flame ionization detector, and anthracene as the internal standard, has been developed for the direct determination of nikethamide. Eight collaborators analyzed 4 samples, using methanol as the solvent; the coefficients of variation obtained ranged from 1.19 to 3.20%. In a limited study with acetone as the solvent, the coefficients of variation ranged from 0.59 to 1.96%. The GLC method with acetone as a solvent has been adopted as official first action.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of strychnine in grain baits.

A simple and rapid gas-liquid chromatographic procedure, using a 6' times 1/4' glass column packed with 5% SE-30 on Chromosorb W (DMCS) and a flame ionization detector, is described. Grain baits containing strychnine alkaloid are ground, mixed, and extracted by shaking with chloroform containing an internal standard, 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene. Without further cleanup, extract filtrates are injected directly into a gas chromatograph. Peak height ratios are used for quantitation of strychnine. The analysis of commercial samples shows that the method compares well with a commonly employed ultraviolet spectrophotometric method; good precision, with recoveries ranging from 89.9 to 91.7%, is obtained in the analysis of prepared samples. The method is sensitive to 2 mug strychnine.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of beta-asarone in wines and flavors.

Wine samples containing beta-asarone (cis-2,4,5-trimethoxy-l-propenylbenzene) are distilled; beta-asarone is extracted by hexane and then quantitatively determined by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC), using ethyl palmitate as the internal standard. The GLC procedure is rapid and yields precise and accurate results. Mass spectrometry confirmed the identity of the GLC peak as beta-asarone. The ultraviolet spectra of beta-asarone and its isomer were also determined.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of p-chloroacetanilide in acetaminophen

Gas-liquid chromatography GLC) coupled with column chromatography was used to accurately determine as little as 25 ppm p-chloroacetanilide in acetaminophen. p-Chloroacetanilide was eluted from a pH 8 phosphate-buffered diatomite partition column by using purified tetrachloroethylene (acetaminophen was retained). This solution was concentrated, internal standard (docosane) was added, and p-chloroacetanilide was determined by using a 0.9 m X 2 mm glass column packed with 3% Poly A 103 on Supelcoport and a flame ionization detector with electronic integration. Standard curves were linear for 10-100 ppm p-chloroacetanilide. Various chromatographic materials were investigated for optimal retention characteristics. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was also evaluated as an alternative; however, lack of reproducibility of the HPLC column favored the GLC procedure.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of pentachlorophenol in milk

A gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) method developed by other workers for determining pentachlorophenol (PCP) in water has been adapted for determining PCP in raw and homogenized milk. PCP is extracted from milk with benzene and from the benzene into a potassium carbonate solution. Acetic anhydride is added to the aqueous solution to form PCP acetate, which is extracted into hexane and then determined by electron capture GLC. Duplicate determinations of PCP in milk fortified at levels of 0.02, 0.2, and 2.0 ppm gave respective average recoveries of 80.0, 87.2, and 85.0%. PCP levels as low as 0.005 ppm can be detected in 20 g milk.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of total cholesterol in multicomponent foods.

A method is described for the determination of total cholesterol in multicomponent foods and also other products such as nonfat dry milk, dried whole egg solids, and certain candy bars. The lipid is extracted from the sample by a mixed solvent and saponified. The unsaponifiable fraction which contains the cholesterol and other sterols is extracted with benzene. An aliquot is evaporated to dryness and the residue is dissolved in dimethylformamide. The sterols are derivatized to form trimethylsilyl (TMS) ethers. The TMS-cholesterol derivative is quantitatively determined by gas-liquid chromatography, using 5alpha-cholestane as an internal standard. Nine laboratories participated in a collaborative study of the determination of total cholesterol in deviled ham sandwich spread, vegetable beef stew, corned beef hash, frozen chicken pot pie, pizza pepperoni, fish sticks, breaded shrimp, chocolate-covered candy bars, dried whole egg solids, and nonfat dry milk and the results are reported here. The coefficient of variation ranged from 5.64 to 23.2%, with an average coefficient of variation of 14.8%.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of individual sugars in confectionery products.

A gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) procedure is presented for the separation and quantitative determination of sucrose, lactose, maltose, and glucose in commercial confectionery products. By converting reducing sugars to oximes and then forming trimethylsilyl ethers of these compounds and separating them on a 6 ft X 4 mm id glass column packed with 2% OV-17 on 100--120 mesh Supelcoport, single peaks were obtained for each of the sugars. Results for sugars present in samples at levels of 5% or more are within 2.8%, on the average, of results obtained by polarization measurements. The data also compare favorably with others in the literature on similar products analyzed by other GLC procedures that do not involve oxime formation.     

Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of 3,6-dichloropicolinic acid in soils.

A gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) method has been developed for the determination of the experimental herbicide 3,6-dichloropicolinic acid (Dowco 290) in soils. The method involves extraction of 1 g soil samples with 1N NaCl at approximately pH 7, methylation with diazomethane utilizing a microgenerator, and detection by electron capture GLC. Interferences are small, so that a cleanup step is not necessary even at the 6 ppb level. The procedure is rapid, requiring only 45 min/sample. Recoveries range from 84 to 94% at the 6-1000 ppb level with a minimum detectable limit of 6 ppb. Standard deviations for the percentage recovery values vary from 10.9 to 2.3 for the tested range of 6.7-670 ppb, respectively.     

Electron capture gas chromatographic determination of thiabendazole in yams

A method for the determination of thiabendazole in yams is reported. The method consists of extracting the chopped crops with ethyl acetate followed by distilled water wash and liquid liquid extraction of the chemicals into dilute hydrochloric acid. The sample is further cleaned up by making the aqueous acidic fraction alkaline and repartitioning into ethyl acetate. The determination step includes evaporation of the cleaned up extract to dryness, derivatization with pentafluorobenzoyl chloride, and determination of the derivatized thiabendazole in acetone by gas chromatography with electron capture detection.