Liquid chromatographic determination of biogenic amines in fermented foods after derivatization with 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride

The reagent 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride (DNBZ-Cl) was tested for pre-column derivatization of biogenic amines (BAs). Samples were derivatized within 3 min in 1 M NaOH at ambient temperature by adding 2-propanole and 50 mM DNBZ-Cl in acetonitrile. The reaction was terminated by addition of 2 M HCl. For high-performance liquid chromatography an encapsulated stationary reversed-phase and gradient elution using a ternary gradient system were used. The DNBZ derivatives were quantified by their UV-absorption at 260 nm. The structures of the derivatives were elucidated using coupling of HPLC with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Detection limits of BAs were approximately 124-864 mu g l(-1) (injected amounts 203-1410 pg) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1. The coefficients of determination were 0.989-0.996, with the exceptions of cadaverine (0.976) and serotonin (0.965). The method was applied to the quantitative determination of agmatine, cadaverine, histamine, octopamine, 2-phenylethylamine putrescine, serotonin, spermidine, spermine, tryptamine and tyramine, in fermented cabbage juices, soy sauces, Mises (soy pastes), fermented fish sauces, and anchovy paste. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.