Quantitative analysis of tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (tetramine) spiked into beverages by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with validation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

J Agric Food Chem. 2009 May 27;57(10):4058-67. doi: 10.1021/jf900271z. Epub 2009 Apr 9.

Abstract

Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine, commonly known as tetramine, is a highly neurotoxic rodenticide (human oral LD(50) = 0.1 mg/kg) used in hundreds of deliberate and accidental food poisoning events in China. This paper describes a method for the quantitation of tetramine spiked into beverages, including milk, juice, tea, cola, and water, with cleanup by C8 solid phase extraction and liquid-liquid extraction. Quantitation by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was based upon fragmentation of m/z 347 to m/z 268. The method was validated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) operated in selected ion monitoring mode for ions m/z 212, 240, and 360. The limit of quantitation was 0.10 μg/mL by LC-MS/MS versus 0.15 μg/mL for GC-MS. Fortifications of the beverages at 2.5 and 0.25 μg/mL were recovered ranging from 73 to 128% by liquid-liquid extraction for GC-MS analysis, from 13 to 96% by SPE, and from 10 to 101% by liquid-liquid extraction for LC-MS/MS analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Beverages / analysis*
  • Bridged-Ring Compounds / analysis*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods*
  • Food Contamination / analysis
  • Fruit
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Milk / chemistry
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Rodenticides / analysis*
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Tea / chemistry
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Bridged-Ring Compounds
  • Rodenticides
  • Tea
  • Water
  • tetramethylenedisulfotetramine