Cooking Utensils: Determination of Primary Aromatic Amines by LC/MS/MS

Significance of the Topic

Kitchen utensils made from plastic materials can release primary aromatic amines (PAAs) into food, posing potential carcinogenic risks. European regulations limit total PAA migration to 10 µg/kg of food simulant. Sensitive, rapid, and selective analytical methods are essential to ensure compliance and protect consumer health.

Objectives and Study Overview

This work describes the development and validation of a fast LC/MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of 22 PAAs in cooking utensils. Migration tests were conducted using 3 % acetic acid as a food simulant following European Commission guideline EUR 24815 EN 2011, and analytes were separated in under nine minutes on a Poroshell 120 PFP column.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Instrumentation: Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC with autosampler and column thermostat coupled to Agilent 6470A triple quadrupole MS with Jet Stream ion source in positive mode.
• Chromatography: InfinityLab Poroshell 120 PFP column (2.1 × 150 mm, 2.7 µm); 0.1 % formic acid in water (A) and acetonitrile (B); gradient from 70 % A/30 % B to 10 % A/90 % B over 6 min at 0.25 mL/min; 9 min total run at 40 °C; 2 µL injection.
• Mass Spectrometry: Dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (dMRM) of two transitions per compound; optimized collision and fragmentor energies; most intense transition for quantification.
• Sample Preparation: Migration in 3 % acetic acid at 100 °C for 2 h; addition of aniline-d5 internal standard; filtration through 0.2 µm membrane; direct LC/MS/MS analysis.
• Validation: Linearity over 1–500 µg/kg (R² > 0.995); LODs 0.06–0.10 µg/kg; LOQs at least 24× below regulatory limit; repeatability RSD ≤26 % at 5 µg/kg and ≤18 % at higher levels; recoveries 88–115 % (RSD ≤13 %).

Main Results and Discussion

The method achieved baseline separation of all 22 PAAs within nine minutes, including positional isomers. LODs and LOQs were well below the EU limit of 10 µg/kg. Precision and trueness met international criteria. Analysis of 13 commercial utensils (silicone, polyamide, polypropylene) revealed higher PAA levels in polyamide products. Aniline and 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane were most abundant and exceeded regulatory limits in several polyamide samples.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• High throughput (<9 min per analysis) supports routine quality control in food contact material compliance.
• No derivatization or ion-pairing simplifies sample handling and reduces analysis time.
• High sensitivity and selectivity ensure reliable detection of PAAs at levels far below regulatory thresholds.

Future Trends and Possibilities

• Integration with high-resolution mass spectrometry for non-targeted screening of unknown migrants.
• Automation and miniaturization of sample preparation (online SPE, microfluidics) to increase throughput and reduce solvent use.
• Adoption of greener solvents and sustainable analytical workflows in compliance testing of food contact materials.

Conclusion

A rapid, sensitive, and robust LC/MS/MS method was developed and validated for the determination of 22 PAAs in cooking utensils. Application to real-world samples highlighted the need for ongoing monitoring of polyamide utensils to ensure consumer safety and regulatory compliance.

References

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