Gas chromatographic/thermal energy analyzer method for N-nitrosodibenzylamine in hams processed in elastic rubber netting.

We previously described a solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure for determining volatile nitrosamines in hams processed in elastic rubber nettings. This same procedure was found to successfully isolate N-nitrosodibenzylamine (NDBzA), a semivolatile nitrosamine. This nitrosamine may form as a result of the reformulated rubber now used in nettings. Reformulation became necessary because of the reported presence of N-nitrosodibutylamine in both the old nettings and on the exterior portion of commercial hams. After SPE, NDBzA was quantitated by using a gas chromatographic (GC) system interfaced to a nitrosamine-specific chemiluminescence detector [thermal energy analyzer (TEA)]. The GC system was equipped with a heated interface external to the TEA furnace to facilitate quantitation of NDBzA. With separation on a packed column, the method can be used to analyze 10 volatile nitrosamines and NDBzA. Repeatability of the method for NDBzA was found to be 2.1 ppb, and the coefficient of variation (CV) was 10.6%. Analysis of 18 commercial hams from 9 different producers, purchased from local retailers, indicated that 12 were positive for NDBzA (range, 2.6-128.5 ppb). NDBzA was confirmed by GC/mass spectrometry.