Development and validation of a gas chromatography method coupled with flame ionization detector for quantitative analysis of fragrance allergens in aromas for e-cigarettes.

Aromas can give smell and/or flavor to a variety of products in the cosmetic and food industry. They are also used as e-cigarette additives. Some of those substances are recognized as fragrance allergens and can cause allergic reactions so there is a need to control their use. Gas chromatography is the method of choice for analyzing fragrance allergens because of their low boiling points. This study aimed to develop and validate a robust and simple method for the analysis of fragrance allergens in aromas for e-cigarettes. A method using gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector was developed for 25 fragrance allergens. Optimized parameters were sample diluent, internal standard, and carrier gas. The output method was the one previously developed and optimized. The linearity of the method was >0.994 over the range of 0.5-40 µg/mL. Accuracy and precision were within the acceptance range. Limits of detection and quantification were determined, and calibration curves were plotted. The method was applied to three real samples of aromas. Thirteen fragrance allergens were detected. Concentrations varied in the range of dozens to thousands of µg/mL showed that concentrations of fragrances in aromas for e-cigarettes can be high and varies among products.

Evaluation of sample injection precision in respect to sensitivity in capillary electrophoresis using various injection modes.

A comparative study was conducted to assess the injection precision in capillary electrophoresis for cationic analytes (arecoline, codeine, papaverine). The precision was measured in respect to methods sensitivity in various injection modes in capillary electrophoresis: standard hydrodynamic injection (3.45 kPa for 6 s), large volume sample stacking (3.45 kPa for 40 s), and field-amplified sample injection (10 kV for 65 s). All measurements were conducted for aqueous solutions of standards to minimize the errors linked to the sample preparation step. The methods were submitted to precision assessment at three concentration levels: at the limit of quantification, three-fold and ten-fold of limit of quantification. The results were compared to those from high-performance liquid chromatography as a reference technique. The field-amplified sample injection method was shown to provide greatest sensitivity (quantification limits down to 4 ng/mL for all three tested compounds) but the lowest precision. High-performance liquid chromatography was established as the most reliable technique (coefficient of variation in all intraday experiments was below 1%). It was also shown that with a use of large volume sample injection technique, similar sensitivity as in high-performance liquid chromatography can be easily reached.