Pressurised Liquid Extraction and Liquid Chromatography–High Resolution Mass Spectrometry for the Simultaneous Determination of Phthalate Diesters and Their Metabolites in Seafood Species

Abstract

We have developed an analytical method based on pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) followed by liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) for the simultaneous determination of five phthalate diesters and six phthalate monoesters in widely consumed seafood species. In order to obtain the highest extraction recoveries, as well as to reduce the matrix effect of such complex samples, the most important extraction parameters were optimised and several clean-up and preconcentration strategies were tested. This method provided limits of detection that ranged from 1 to 25 ng g−1 dry weight (d.w.) for most compounds in both fatty and low-fat species. Moreover, several target analytes were quantified in five seafood species (four phthalate diesters and three of their metabolites). The most abundant compounds were diethyl phthalate (DEP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which were quantified from 60 to 3393 ng g−1 (d.w.) and from 117 to 1562 ng g−1 (d.w.), respectively.