Quantitative Analysis of Sweeteners in Beverages and Mouth Rinse Using Ligand Exchange Chromatography-MS with APCI Interface and Post-column Reagent Addition

Introduction

As sugar replacers and food additives, sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners have been used widely and also thoroughly assessed for health and safety concerns. Analytical methods of high sensitivity and selectivity are in demand for quantitative analysis of sweeteners in foods and beverages in research laboratory and industry. Here, we introduce a novel LC/MS method using ligand exchange chromatography and single quadrupole mass spectrometer with APCI interface for separation and detection of a total of nine sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners with pure water as the mobile phase. It is known that sugar molecules are not easily ionized on LCMS interface and the pure water mobile phase is not a favourite condition for ionization. Therefore, post-column addition of organic solvents (e.g. methanol) and ionization reagents (e.g. chloroform) are normally used for enhancement of ionization efficiency of carbohydrates. However, chloroform may cause strong ion suppression and contamination to the interface and ion optics of LC/MS system. A reduced amount of chloroform in the post-column addition line was used and evaluated in this study.

June 20, 2013 GMT