The presence of potential allergens in fragrances is regulated at the EU level and requires consumers to be informed of their presence.
It is therefore necessary to have a methodology that allows for their precise and reliable analysis.
The determination of allergens in raw fragrances with traditional gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is made very difficult in terms of both identification and quantification by the highly complex matrices, which cause multiple co-elutions with highly abundant compounds.
Two-dimensional gas chromatography combined with quadrupole mass spectrometry and flame ionization detector (GC × GC-QMS/FID) represents a strategic choice in terms of rapid and reliable results.
The analytical method relies on the superior separation power afforded by GC×GC, which, thanks to the use of two independent analytical columns in a single analysis, is capable of detecting and quantifying approximately 60 substances and isomers at concentrations greater than 2 mg/kg in raw fragrances.
We report the results of studies conducted with various GC×GC instrumental platforms, each with different strengths and therefore suited to meet various analytical and practical needs.
Both proposed solutions demonstrate excellent performance and are suitable for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of complex allergen mixtures.
The liquid nitrogen-cooled loop thermal modulator is the top-of-the-line solution in terms of flexibility.
The same modulation dynamics can be achieved while avoiding cryogenic fluids using a closed-loop cooling unit.
These solutions are fully compatible with allergen volatility for effective trapping.
The flow-modulation-based platform allows the application to meet the requirements for routine laboratory testing thanks to its excellent robustness and reliability.