Emerging frontier technologies for food safety analysis and risk assessment

Access to security and safe food is a basic human necessity and essential for a sustainable world. To perform hi-end rood safety analysis and risk assessment with state of the art technologies is of utmost importance thereof. With applications as exemplified by microfiuidic immunoassay, aptasensor, direct analysis in real time, high resolution mass spectrometry, benchmark dose and chemical specific adjustment factor, this review presents frontier food safety analysis and risk assessment technologies, from which both food quality and public health will benefit undoubtedly in a foreseeable future.

Combination of Solid-Phase Micro-Extraction and Direct Analysis in Real Time-Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry for Sensitive and Rapid Analysis of 15 Phthalate Plasticizers in Beverages

A method for rapid identification and quantification of phthalate plasticizers in beverages was developed.A number of 15 phthalate plasticizers which covered all the phthalates concerned in the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act(CPSIA),European Union legislations and Chinese national standards(GB)were analyzed.By a combined solid-phase micro-extraction(SPME)and direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry(DART-MS)approach,phthalates at sub-ng•mL^(−1)levels can be qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed in a short time.The use of ultrahigh-resolving power and the accurate mass measurement capacity naturally provided by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry(FT-ICR-MS)minimizes the matrix interferences and thus enables the evaluation of phthalates in a complex matrix without extensive sample handlings or preparations.The limits of quantification(LOQs)were estimated to be at 0.3-5.0 ng•mL^(−1),lower than the Maximum Residue Limit(MRL)regulated by the European Union legislations(2007/19/EC)in foods,beverages,food packaging and toys(0.3-30 ng•mL^(−1)).This rapid and easy-to-use SPME-DART-FT-ICR-MS method provided a relatively high-throughput and powerful analytical approach for quick testing and screening phthalates in beverages and water samples to ensure food safety.

Rapid Screening of Nine Illicit Drugs in Human Blood and Urine by Direct Analysis in Real‑Time Mass Spectrometry

We aimed to establish for the rapid detection of morphine,O6‑monoacetylmorphine,heroin,codeine,cocaine,methamphetamine,ketamine,methadone,and dolantin in human blood and urine by direct analysis in real‑time coupled with tandem mass spectrometry(DART‑MS/MS).These samples were extracted by acetonitrile‑methanol(V/V=4:1),using DART 12 Dip‑it automatic sampling system.They were injected at 400℃,and analyzed by positive ion and multiple reaction monitoring mode.The detection limits of morphine,O6‑Monoacetylmorphine,heroin,codeine,cocaine,methamphetamine,ketamine,methadone,and dolantin were 100,50,50,100,20,20,10,1,and 0.01 ng/mL,respectively.The practical cases contained methamphetamine,codeine,cocaine,and O6‑monoacetylmorphine were detected accurately and rapidly.The method has the advantages of high sensitivity and good accuracy.The sample processing is simple and can be analyzed in a short time.This method is suitable for the analysis of morphine,O6‑monoacetylmorphine,heroin,codeine,cocaine,methamphetamine,ketamine,methadone,and dolantin in some practical cases.

Application of Spectra Accuracy for Analysis of Organic Explosive: 2,4,6‑trinitrotoluene by AccuTOF‑DART

This paper,through mass spectrometric(MS)analysis for nitro compound explosives on a direct analysis in a real‑time time‑of‑flight MS,indicates that even on a high‑resolution MS with accurate mass measurement capabilities,there is no guarantee to obtain the unique molecular formula of a compound.By calculating spectra accuracy,highly accurate isotope pattern matching can be conducted to significantly improve performance of compound confirmation or identification.

DART-MS:A New Research Tool for Herbal Medicine Analysis

Direct analysis in real time(DART) possesses the merits of analyzing sample in its native status with minimal or even no sample pretreatment.In this review, we summarized the recent applications of DART in the field of herbal medicine analysis such as compound detection, species identification, metabolites profiling and initial quantification. DART with the characters of hyper-rapid, easy-hyphenated offers a new research tool for herbal medicines to complete the experimental process in a very simple but still reliable way. It is anticipated that more wide and deep applications of DART in herbal medicine analysis, as rapid quantification, high-throughput active compounds screening, rapid species identification, and fast illegal additives screening will be promising and foreseeable in the near future.

A sensitive and compact mercury analyzer by integrating dielectric barrier discharge induced cold vapor generation and optical emission spectrometry

An environmentally friendly,low power consuming,sensitive and compact mercury analyzer was developed for the determination of mercury in water samples by integrating a thin film dielectric barrier discharge induced cold vapor reactor and a dielectric barrier discharge optical emission spectrometer into a small polymethyl methacrylate plate（10.5 cm length×8.0 cm width×1.2 cm height）.Mercury cold vapor was generated when standard or sample solutions with or without formic acid were introduced to the reactor to form thin film liquid and exposed to microplasma irradiation and subsequently separated from the liquid phase for transport to the microplasma and detection of its atomic emission.Limits of detection of 0.20 μg L^-1 and 2.6 μg L^-1 were obtained for the proposed system using or not using formic acid,respectively.Compared to the conventional microplasma optical emission spectrometry used for mercury analysis,this system not only retains the good limit of detection amenable to the determination of mercury in real samples,but also reduces power consumption,eliminates the generation of hydrogen and avoids the use of toxic or unstable reductant.Method validation was demonstrated by analysis of a certified reference material of water sample and three real water samples with good spike recoveries（88-102%）.