Use of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometry to identify the elemental composition of vanilla and determine the geographic origin by discriminant function analysis.
A total of 11 elements found in 25 vanilla samples from Uganda, Madagascar, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea were measured by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS) for the purpose of collecting data that could be used to discriminate among the origins. Pellets were prepared of the samples, and elemental concentrations were obtained on the basis of external calibration curves created using five National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards and one Chinese standard with (13)C internal standardization. These curves were validated using NIST 1573a (tomato leaves) as a check standard. Discriminant analysis was used to successfully classify the vanilla samples by their origin. Our method illustrates the feasibility of using LA-ICP-TOF-MS with an external calibration curve for high-throughput screening of spice screening analysis.
Masters of Science Forensic Science Program, Department of Chemistry, Towson University , 8000 York Road, Towson, Maryland 21252, United States.
Ellen M
EM
Hondrogiannis
Erin
E
Ehrlinger
Alyssa
A
Poplaski
Meredith
M
Lisle
D002138:Calibration; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D007214:Indonesia; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008270:Madagascar; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D010219:Papua New Guinea; D012015:Reference Standards; D014454:Uganda; D031669:Vanilla / Q000737:chemistry*