[Use of the mass spectrometer as a specific detector in the analysis of alcoholic beverages by gas-liquid chromatography].

The technique of selected ion monitoring (SIM) allows the mass spectrometer to be used as a selective detector when coupled to a gas chromatograph. The addition of a data acquisition system enables the selective quantitative determination of compounds to be made when present at low levels in a complex mixture. The detection limit of a compound may be lowered by 2 or 3 orders of magnitude, since the instrument is set to one or more ions which are specific for the compound(s) to be measured, for the maximum amount of time. This lowering of the detection limit and increase in selectivity makes it possible not only to determine compounds at ppb levels, but also to carry out rapid and selective determinations of compounds at the ppm level, using a smaller sample and a minimum of preliminary sample concentration. A fuller description of the principles of SIM is given. This technique has already found wide application in medical and environmental fields, and some examples of its application to alcoholic beverages are given: detection and determination of possible contaminants, such as phthalate, esters residual monomers from plastic materials (styrene, vinyl chloride), and traces of pesticides; determination of certain non-volatile compounds in wines; and the selective determination of certain compounds for which levels in finished products are limited such as the thujones, safrole, beta-asarone, and coumarine.