Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of ethyl carbamate as the xanthylamide derivative in Italian aqua vitae (grappa) samples.

A selective reaction of ethyl carbamate (urethane) and methyl urethane (urethylane), as internal standard, with xanthydrol was effected to detect urethane after extraction from Italian aqua vitae (grappa) samples. The xanthylamides formed were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode on an apolar DB 5 silica column. The linearity of the method was tested from 10 to 1000 micrograms/l, with a detection limit of 1 micrograms/l.