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Evaluating Matrix Effects in the Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Food: Can These Interferences Be Neglected for Isotope Dilution?

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Abstract

A procedure to evaluate matrix effects was systematized and applied to the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in roasted coffee and cocoa beans. The analytical method relied on gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with isotope dilution (GC-IDMS). Once the regression assumptions were confirmed, the slopes and intercepts obtained for traditional and matrix-matched calibration curves were compared by the t test, with or without combined variances, depending on the profile of the residual variances. Matrix effects were considered when the slopes and/or intercepts differed significantly. The occurrence of matrix effects diverged for the studied matrices. No matrix effects were detected for roasted coffee using GC-IDMS, whereas significant effects were observed for cocoa beans. An original discussion related to these findings was presented, based on the differences in the chemical compositions of the matrices and the instrumental conditions. These results serve as a warning to current practices in validation of methods that involve IDMS and highlight the importance of the matrix effects evaluation, even when using an isotope dilution approach.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and the CNPq (Proc. 306463/2010-5) for their financial support as well as the Mars Center of Cocoa Science (MCCS) in Brazil for providing the cocoa bean samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Pharmacy(FAFAR), Department of Food Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Campus da UFMG, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-010, Brazil

    Renata França Cassimiro Belo, Scheilla Vitorino Carvalho de Souza & Roberto Gonçalves Junqueira

  2. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA), National Laboratory of Minas Gerais (LANAGRO-MG), Av. Rômulo Joviano s/n, Centro, Pedro Leopoldo, MG, 33.600-000, Brazil

    Rafael Pissinatti

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  1. Renata França Cassimiro Belo
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  2. Rafael Pissinatti
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  3. Scheilla Vitorino Carvalho de Souza
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  4. Roberto Gonçalves Junqueira
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Correspondence to Roberto Gonçalves Junqueira.

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Conflict of Interest

Renata França Cassimiro Belo declares that she has no conflict of interest. Rafael Pissinatti declares that he has no conflict of interest. Scheilla Vitorino Carvalho de Souza declares that she has no conflict of interest. Roberto Gonçalves Junqueira declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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Belo, R.F.C., Pissinatti, R., de Souza, S.V.C. et al. Evaluating Matrix Effects in the Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Food: Can These Interferences Be Neglected for Isotope Dilution?. Food Anal. Methods 10, 1488–1499 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-016-0706-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-016-0706-0

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