Use of 4-chloro-3, 5-dinitrobenzotrifluoride (CNBF) Derivatization and Ultrahigh-performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry for the Determination of 20 Free Amino Acids in Chinese Jujube Date

Abstract

Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzotrifluoride (CNBF) derivatization was developed for simultaneous determination of 20 free amino acids in Chinese jujube date. The MS/MS conditions, choice of mobile phase, the extraction process, and matrix effects were studied with a view to a method of optimization. The limits of detection for measurement of the amino acids ranged from 0.8 to 600.0 μg L−1. The correlation coefficients (r2 ≥ 0.9947) indicated good correlation between the concentrations of amino acids and the peak areas for the CNBF-derivatives. Recoveries for samples spiked at 25.0, 50.0, and 100.0 mg kg−1 ranged from 66.3 to 106.6 % (except tryptophan spiked at 25.0 and 50.0 mg kg−1, which provided recoveries of 61.2 and 60.4 %, and tyrosine spiked at three different concentrations, which provided recoveries of 54.8–58.6 %), with relative standard deviation values of less than 9.1 %.