Identification of a new source of interference leached from polypropylene tubes in mass-selective analysis

An interference leached from polypropylene tubes was identified to be a sulfoxide oxidative product of didodecyl 3,3'-thiodipropionate (DDTDP) that is used to prevent oxidative degradation of synthetic polymers. A sulfone oxidative product of DDTDP leached from the polypropylene tubes was also observed. The interfering compounds were isolated by LC and characterized using time-of-flight mass spectrometry and NMR. Authentic sulfoxide and sulfone products of DDTDP were also prepared by reacting DDTDP with hydrogen peroxide reaching an unequivocal structural assignment. In conclusion, when analytes of interest are solubilized in predominantly organic solvents and kept in polypropylene containers, the possibility of contamination from leached chemicals should be taken into account.