Development of an Analytical Strategy for Simultaneous Determination of Multiple Contaminants in Paper Food Packaging

Food packaging materials were reported as a potential source of various xenobiotics. In this study a multi-analyte method for simultaneous determination of particular compound groups, namely polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, ink photoinitiators, polyfluorinated compounds, phthalate and bisphenol-type endocrine disruptors (70 analytes in total) in food-contact paper was developed and validated. Sample preparation steps were optimized resulting in a high throughput process, which consists of an ultrasonic-assisted solvent extraction and QuECheRS-based liquid-liquid partition. Analysis by means of gas and high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry provided limits of quantification ranging from 0.0025 to 0.21 mg/kg. At spiking levels of 0.025 and 0.25 mg/kg recovery was above 92% and a requirement for precision (HORRAT<1.67) was met by 69 analytes. Supported by IGA MZ ČR NT 14375-3/2013.