Dioxin Detection Prevents Contamination of Meat Supply

The confirmation ratios (relative areas of quantification and ratio masses) for all dioxins/furans in repeated injections of 17fg/mL were evaluated for the standard and the blood pool sample. All 2,3,7,8-TCDD results in the standard and the blood sample series gave results within the required ±15% window at the lowest detection levels and provided the confirmation.

It is clear that a HRGC/ HRMS system can test food samples, including meats, for the presence of dioxins in the low femtogram range. Even difficult sample types with heavy matrix effects can be successfully analyzed. The reliability, sensitivity, and long-term robustness of the GC/MS system were demonstrated with a series of repeated injections of a “dirty” matrix blood sample.

Using HRGC/HRMS, the system delivers confirmatory analyses that ensure compliance with worldwide regulations, making it an ideal test method to ensure that public health is safeguarded from the threat of dioxin contamination. Identifying foods that do not contain dioxins reduces the number of samples that must be analyzed using HRGC/HRMS, which significantly lowers the cost. n

Krumwiede is product specialist, trace MS, and Huebschmann is GC/MS technology manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Reach Huebschmann at +49-421-5493-0 or [email protected] and Krumwiede at [email protected].

References

1. ActionPA. Dioxin homepage. ActionPA Web site. Available at: http://www.ejnet.org/dioxin/. Accessed February 3, 2009.
2. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD). U.S. EPA Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics Web site. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/dioxin.html. Accessed February 3, 2009.
3. United States Food and Drug Administration. Dioxins: FDA strategy for monitoring, method development, and reducing human exposure. FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Available at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/ ~lrd/dioxstra.html. Accessed February 3, 2009.