Direct comparison of solid-phase extraction and solid-phase microextraction for the gas chromatographic determination of dibenzylamine in artificial saliva leachates from baby bottle teats

Two sample preparation methods for the determination of dibenzylamine (DBA) in artificial saliva leachates from rubber baby bottle nipples have been d eveloped, using either solid-phase extraction (SPE) with N-vinylpyrrolidone /divinylbenzene as the sorbent or solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with a polyacrylate coated fiber. The baby bottle nipples were immersed into arti ficial saliva for 6 h, a part of the solution was brought to pH 9 for SPE o r pH 10 for SPME and the analyte was extracted by SPE or SPME. After elutio n with ethyl acetate (SPE) or thermal desorption (SPME) DBA was determined by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. The main advantage s of SPE were superior ruggedness and stability as well as the possibility of preparing several samples simultaneously. SPME offered a greater sensiti vity and much smaller sample volumes were required. The results obtained fo r the investigated rubber baby bottle nipples were almost identical with bo th the methods showing deviations of less than 3%. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.