Optimized HPLC method for analysis of polar and nonpolar heterocyclic amines in cooked meat products

A simple, precise, and specific column high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with UV absorption diode array and fluorescence detection has been developed by optimizing a previously described method for the simultaneous quantification of 15 polar and nonpolar heterocyclic amines (HAs) in fried meat products. The HPLC determination could be improved due to the application of a silica-based reversed-phase column with octadecyl groups (TSK-gel Super ODS) and a particle size of 2 microm. The separation of HAs in the complex meat matrix was performed with a 21 min mobile phase gradient. The method was validated for instrumental precision, repeatability, and selectivity and compared with a previously published method. After liquid adsorption of the basic sample mixture on diatomaceous earth, HAs were extracted with ethyl acetate. For cleanup, solid-phase extraction (silica propylsulfonic acid and octadecyl cartridges) and different washing steps were applied. Both nonpolar and polar HAs were determined in one fraction. The calibration curves of all HAs were linear for the applied detection system (correlation coefficient = 0.990-0.995). The recoveries, with the exception of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido [4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2), were between 42 and 98% from meat samples spiked in a range of 1.5 to 3.3 ng/g for fluorescence-active and 4.3 to 8 ng/g for UV-active HAs. For quantification of HAs, the standard addition method was used for adjustment of different characteristics of HAs in the extraction. In fried meat samples (chicken breast and beef patties), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MelQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f] quinoxaline(4,8-DiMelQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), norharmane, and harmane were found in a concentration range of 0.02 to 14.3 ng/g.