title: Assessment of gas chromatography time-of-flight accurate mass spectrometry for identification of volatile and semi-volatile compounds in honey.
abstract: The performance of gas chromatography (GC) combined with a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) mass spectrometry (MS) system for the determination of volatile and semi-volatile compounds in honey samples is evaluated. After headspace (HS) solid-phase microextraction (SPME) of samples, the accurate mass capabilities of the above system were evaluated for compounds identification. Accurate scan electron impact (EI) MS spectra allowed discriminating compounds displaying the same nominal masses, but having different empirical formulae. Moreover, the use of a mass window with a width of 0.005 Da provided highly specific chromatograms for selected ions, avoiding the contribution of interferences to their peak areas. Additional information derived from positive chemical ionization (PCI) MS spectra and ion product scan MS/MS spectra permitted confirming the identity of novel compounds. The above possibilities are illustrated with examples of honey aroma compounds, belonging to different chemical classes and containing different elements in their molecules. Examples of compounds whose structures could not be described are also provided. Overall, 84 compounds, from a total of 89 species, could be identified in 19 honey samples from 3 different geographic areas in the world. The suitability of responses measured for selected ions, corresponding to above species, for authentication purposes is assessed through principal components analysis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica, Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentario (IIAA), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moniruzzaman
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica, Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentario (IIAA), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain. Electronic address: isaac.rodriguez@usc.es.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica, Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentario (IIAA), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramil
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica, Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentario (IIAA), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cela
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sulaiman
authors.affiliation: Human Genome Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gan
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry; D001554:Benzene / Q000737:chemistry; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D007477:Ions; D008970:Molecular Weight; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011804:Quinolines / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D004952:Esters; D007477:Ions; D011804:Quinolines; D013729:Terpenes; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D001554:Benzene
keywords: Accurate mass spectra; Gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry; Honey; Volatile compounds