Gas Chromatographic and Gas Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Confirmation of 2,4- and 2,6-Toluenediamine Determined by Liquid Chromatography in Aqueous Extracts

The confirmation of 2,4- and 2,6-toluenediamine (TDA) in aqueous extracts from boil-in-bags and retortable pouches is described. The extracts were initially analyzed by a high performance liquid chromatographic procedure and any apparent 2,4- and/or 2,6-TDA were quantitated. The liquid chromatographic effluent corresponding to any apparent 2,4- or 2,6-TDA was collected. TDA was then partitioned into ethyl acetate and reacted with trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA). The TDA-TFAA derivative formed was confirmed by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) using a 1.2 m × 0.32 cm nickel column packed with 6% OV-17 on Superpak-20M. Results obtained from analyzing extracts of several retortable pouches and boil-in-bags showed levels of TDA migration ranging from <0.1 to 2.2 ppb (μg/L). Additional confirmation of the TDA-TFAA derivative from retortable pouches by multiple ion detection GC/mass spectrometry is also described.