A procedure was established for the detection of irradiated chicken by GC/FID analysis of2- alkylcyclobutanones (RCBs) and hydrocarbons (HCs) using cleanup by Soxhlet extraction and Florisil chromatography.
Fat extract was obtained from irradiated chickens by a Soxhlet apparatus. A concentrated fat extract containing200 mg of fat with 2 μg of n-eicosane as internal standard (IS) was applied to Florisil columns, which were deactivated by adding 17parts of water to 100 parts of adsorbent. The HCs were eluted in 60 ml of n-hexane. This eluate was concentrated and analyzed by GC/FID. After 150ml of n-hexane was eluted from the same column, RCBs were eluted with 120ml of 1% diethyl ether solution in n-hexane. This eluate was concentrated to 0.2ml and 0.1μg of 2-cyclohexylcyclohexanone (IS) was added to the mixture, which was analyzed by GC/FID. This process rendered it possible to detect HCs and RCBs efficiently and simultaneously.
HCs and RCBs were detected in chicken meat irradiated at 0.5 kGy by GC/FID.