Determination of acrylamide in sugar by capillary GLC with alkali flame-ionization detection

A method for the determination of acrylamide traces as a residue of anti-incrustation agents in sugar was developed. Acrylamide was extracted into ethyl acetate after derivatization by bromination to 2,3-dibromopropionamide (2,3-DBPA). The extract was cleaned up on a silica gel column and analysed by gas-liquid chromatography with an alkali flame-ionization detector (AFID). A glass capillary column with OV-1 stationary phase was used for this analysis. The recovery of the method determined in model experiments was 70.0% and 77.1% at 100 micrograms kg-1 and 20 micrograms kg-1, respectively. The limit of detection of acrylamide in sugar is 1-10 micrograms kg-1. Parameters of the described method are compared with other published methods.