Thin-layer chromatography coupled with HPLC-DAD/UHPLC-HRMS for target and non-target determination of emerging halogenated organic contaminants in animal-derived foods

In this study, a simple, solvent-saving, and sensitive method was established using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry to quantitively determine 16 emerging halogenated organic contaminants (HOCs), including polyhalogenated carbazoles, halogenated phenols, and tetrabromobisphenol-A analogs, and to qualitatively identify non-target HOCs in animal-derived food samples. The sample extracts were physically frozen to remove most lipids and further purified by thin-layer chromatography according to the targets polarity. The method detection limit and method quantification limit of 16 HOCs were in the range of 0.003-9.168 and 0.010-30.601 ng.g(-1) dry weight, respectively. The recoveries were within 69.1-111.0 %, the intra/inter-day precisions were 0.1-6.1 % and 0.1-6.7 %, and the matrix effects were between 12.1 and 10.8 %, all within the acceptable range. Finally, 16 HOCs were detected in nine actual samples in range of not detected-307.22 ng.g(-1) dry weight. Moreover, five bromides and two chlorides were identified by using non-target analysis in animal-derived foods.

Automated summary

A simple, solvent-saving, and sensitive method using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry was developed to quantitively determine and qualitatively identify emerging halogenated organic contaminants (HOCs) in animal-derived food samples. This method involved freezing the sample extracts to remove lipids and purifying them by thin-layer chromatography according to polarity. The method showed good detection limits, quantification limits, recoveries, precisions, and matrix effects for the 16 HOCs studied. 16 HOCs were detected in actual samples, and non-target analysis also identified bromides and chlorides in animal-derived foods.