Quantitative determination of dimethyl fumarate in silica gel by solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and ultrasound-assisted extraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is a chemical compound which has been added to silica gel bags used for preserving leather products during shipment. DMF has recently been singled out due to its ability to induce a number of medical problems in people which touch products contaminated by it. Its use as a biocide has been recently made illegal in Europe. Two different extraction techniques, namely ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME), both coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry were applied to the quantitative determination of DMF in silica gel. Linearity of the methods, reproducibility and detection limits were determined. The two methods were applied to the quantification of DMF in thirty-four silica gel samples used as anti-mould agents in different leather products sold in Italy, and the obtained results were statistically compared.