DETERMINATON OF MELAMINE MIGRATION FROM TABLEWARE MADE OF MELAMINE PLASTIC BY LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY

Abstract

    A method of quantification of melamine migrating from melamine-made tableware sampleswas developed and validated. The samples were filled with a suitable simulant (either wateror 3% acetic axit) and placed in an oven at 70 oC for 90 minutes. Melamine was separated byliquid chromatography using HILIC column (150 mm x 4.6 mm x 5 μm) and then quantifiedby a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry in ESI(+) mode. Melamine-C13N15 isotope was usedas internal standard. The method performance was good with the linear range from 10 ng/mLto 500 ng/mL and the limit of quantitation was 10 ng/mL. The method was applied to analyze12 samples taken from local markets and supermarkets in Hanoi. The levels of melaminemigration in samples taken from supermarkets were significant higher than that from local markets.