Determination of eight biogenic amines in animal-derived foodstuffs by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry without derivatization

Abstract

Abstract: A method for the determination of histamine (HIS), tryptamine (TRP), 2-phenylethylamine (2-PHE), putrescine (PUT), cadaverine (CAD), tyramine (TYR), spermidine (SPD), spermine (SPM) in animal-derived foodstuffs was established using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The samples were extracted with acetonitrile-formic acid aqueous solution, and purified with strong cationic exchange (MCX) cartridge. Without derivatization, the eight biogenic amines (BAs) were separated by hydrophilic interaction chromatographic (HILIC) column with the mobile phases of 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate and methanol. The linearities were excellent in the range of 0. 001-100 microg/L with the correlation coefficients above 0.99. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N = 3) of the method were between 0. 001 microg/kg and 1 microg/kg, and the limits of quantification (LOQs, S/N = 10) were between 0.003 microg/kg and 5 microg/kg. The recoveries of BAs spiked in eight matrices were between 73.9% and 106.3% at the spiked levels ranged from 0.003 microg/kg to 50 microg/kg. The relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 6) were in the ranges of 5.65%-18.6%. The method can meet the requirements of the daily work for the determination of BAs in animal-derived foodstuffs.