title: Analysis of Trace Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) in Vegetables Using Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.
abstract: A reliable, sensitive, and cost-effective method was developed for determining three quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) including dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, and didodecyldimethylammonium chloride in various vegetables using ultrasonic-assisted extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The variety and acidity of extraction solvents, extraction times, and cleanup efficiency of sorbents were estimated to obtain an optimized procedure for extraction of the QACs in nine vegetable matrices. Excellent linearities (R(2) > 0.992) were obtained for the analytes in the nine matrices. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.7-6.0 and 2.3-20.0 μg/kg (dry weight, dw) in various matrices, respectively. The recoveries in the nine matrices ranged from 70.5% to 108.0% with relative standard deviations below 18.0%. The developed method was applied to determine the QACs in 27 vegetable samples collected from Guangzhou in southern China, showing very high detection frequency with a concentration of 23-180 μg/kg (dw).
authors.affiliation: †Key Laboratory of Water/Soil Toxic Pollutants Control and Bioremediation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutions, School of Environment, and ‡Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: †Key Laboratory of Water/Soil Toxic Pollutants Control and Bioremediation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutions, School of Environment, and ‡Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Xiong-Ke
authors.initials: XK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: †Key Laboratory of Water/Soil Toxic Pollutants Control and Bioremediation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutions, School of Environment, and ‡Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: †Key Laboratory of Water/Soil Toxic Pollutants Control and Bioremediation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutions, School of Environment, and ‡Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Xian-Pei
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: †Key Laboratory of Water/Soil Toxic Pollutants Control and Bioremediation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutions, School of Environment, and ‡Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Lian
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: †Key Laboratory of Water/Soil Toxic Pollutants Control and Bioremediation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutions, School of Environment, and ‡Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: †Key Laboratory of Water/Soil Toxic Pollutants Control and Bioremediation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutions, School of Environment, and ‡Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: †Key Laboratory of Water/Soil Toxic Pollutants Control and Bioremediation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutions, School of Environment, and ‡Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Quan-Ying
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: †Key Laboratory of Water/Soil Toxic Pollutants Control and Bioremediation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutions, School of Environment, and ‡Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Ce-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Mo
mesh_terms: D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D013501:Surface-Active Agents
keywords: GC−MS; matrix effect; quaternary ammonium compounds; ultrasonic-assisted extraction; vegetable