Determination of 10 Volatile Nitrosamines in Cosmetics by Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A comprehensive analytical method based on gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has been developed for the determination of 10 volatile nitrosamines (N-nitrosodimethylamine, N-nitrosodiethylamine, N-nitrosodi-n-propylamine, N-nitrosomorpholine, N-nitrosopyrrolidine, N-nitrosopiperidine, N-nitrosodi-n-butylamine, N-nitrosodiphenylamine, N-nitrosodicyclohexylamine and N-nitrosodibenzylamine) in cosmetics. Various cosmetic samples, including cream, lotion, powder, shampoo and lipstick, were extracted with appropriate solvents under ultrasonication. The extract was centrifuged, and the upper solution was then cleaned up by an Oasis HLB solid phase extraction cartridge. Qualitative and quantitative analysis was carried out for the analytes under the MRM mode after the chromatographic separation on a DB-624 (30 m X 0.25 mm, 1.40 mu m) capillary column. The limits of quantitation (LOQs) for 10 volatile nitrosamines were 2.5-10 mg/kg. The mean recoveries at the three spiked levels were 85.2% - 102.3%, with the relative standard deviations between 3.1% and 9.2%.