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A simple sample preparation method requiring minimal organic solvents is proposed for the determination of the total phthalate content in cosmetics by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The hydrolysis of phthalates and purification of interfering substances were performed in a three-phase system that included an upper n-hexane phase, a middle ethanol phase, and a lower aqueous alkali solution. This three-phase system utilized an incremental purification strategy. The apolar ingredients were extracted with n-hexane, the polar pigments accumulated in the ethanol phase, and the hydrolysis product, phthalic acid, remained in the hydrolysate. Under the optimized conditions, the correlation coefficients ( r) for the calibration curves were 0.998-0.999 in the range 0.60-12 mol L. The limit of detection was 5.1 μmol kg, and the limit of quantification was 9.2 μmol kg. The recoveries varied from 84 to 97% with RSDs equal to or lower than 11%. The intra-day and inter-day repeatability values, expressed as the relative standard deviation, were less than 8.7 and 9.8, respectively. No obvious matrix effect existed in the different cosmetics matrices. The validated method was applied for the analysis of 57 commercial cosmetic samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the analysis of edible oils, saponification is well known as a useful method for eliminating oil matrices. The conventional approach is conducted with alcoholic alkali; it consumes a large volume of organic solvents and impedes the retrieval of analytes by microextraction. In this study, a low-organic-solvent-consuming method has been developed for the analysis of benzo[a]pyrene in edible oils by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Sample treatment involves aqueous alkaline saponification, assisted by a phase-transfer catalyst, and selective in situ extraction of the analyte with a supramolecular solvent. Comparison of the chromatograms of the oil extracts obtained by different microextraction methods showed that the supramolecular solvent has a better clean-up effect for the unsaponifiable matter from oil matrices. The method offered excellent linearity over a range of 0.03- 5.0 ng mL−1 ( r > 0.999). Recovery rates varied from 94 to 102% (RSDs <5.0%). The detection limit and quantification limit were 0.06 and 0.19 μg kg−1, respectively. The proposed method was applied for the analysis of 52 edible oils collected online in China; the analyte contents of 23 tested oil samples exceeded the maximum limit of 2 μg kg−1 for benzo[a]pyrene set by the Commission Regulation of the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decrease in the content of higher alcohols and the increase in the ester content in alcoholic drinks are normally achieved by the aging process over years. This study examined the capability of some strains of Geotrichum spp. to complete this process within a few days. Four Geotrichum spp. strains (S12, S13, TM and TF) were separately added to one wine [containing 11.5% (v/v) ethanol] and to three liquor samples [containing 45, 50 and 55% (v/v) ethanol] and incubated at 28 and 15°C for 4 days. Significant increases in the ester content and decreases in the higher alcohols were observed with strains S12 and TM, in all treatments. Strains S13 and TF increased the ester content in the wine, but not in the liquors. Comparatively, most volatile compounds were found in the red wine treated with S12 at 15°C and in the liquor containing 55% (v/v) ethanol treated with TM at 28°C. The conversion from higher alcohols to their corresponding acids and esters was identified using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry during the treatments. By comparing the results when enzyme extracts and whole cells were used, it was found that the decrease in the levels of the higher alcohols might be caused both by cell adsorption and enzymatic reactions, whereas the increase in the esters was caused mainly by enzymatic reactions. Copyright © 2016 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]