Simultaneous determination of total specific migration limit of seven benzene polycarbonic acids and their derivatives in food simulants by high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection

Abstract

A novel method for simultaneous determination of total specific migration limits (SML (T)) of trimellitic, isophthalic, terephthalic, phthalic acid and their derivatives (1, 2, 4-benzenetricarboxylic anhydride, isophthaloyl chloride and terephthaloyl chloride) in food simulants (10% (v/v) ethanol, 20% (v/v) ethanol, 50% (v/v) ethanol, 3% (w/v) acetic acid and olive oil) was developed by high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). After the migration test, the soaking solution was cooled down and vortexed. After the extraction of olive oil food simulants with 0. 1% (w/v) ammonium acetate aqueous solution, the clear aqueous solution or other aqueous food simulants was filtered through a hydrophilic polytetrafluoroethylene filter with a disposable syringe before injection. The Synergi Polar-RP column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 4 µm) and gradient elution mode were selected. The variable wavelength detector was set at 232 nm. The limits of quantification were 0.1-0.2 mg/kg; the linearity of the method was good with r2 > 0.999 91 over the range from 0.5 to 12 mg/L for aqueous food simulants or 0.5 to 12 mg/kg for olive oil food simulants. The recoveries of them were between 94. 3% and 105% with the relative standard deviations between 0.1% and 2.3% at the levels of 1.25, 2.50, 6.25 mg/kg. The method shows the low limits of detection, good recoveries and accuracies, and meets the requirement of ( EU) No 10/2011 regulation for the total specific migration limits of trimellitic, isophthalic, terephthalic, phthalic acids and their derivatives. The method has been applied to the analysis of food contact material samples.