Rapid and sensitive determination of phytosterols in functional foods and medicinal herbs by using UHPLC-MS/MS with microwave-assisted derivatization combined with dual ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction.

In this work, a hyphenated technique of dual ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with microwave-assisted derivatization followed by ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has been developed for the determination of phytosterols in functional foods and medicinal herbs. Multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for the tandem mass spectrometry detection. A mass spectrometry sensitive reagent, 4'-carboxy-substituted rosamine, has been used as the derivatization reagent for five phytosterols, and internal standard diosgenin was used for the first time. Parameters for the dual microextraction, microwave-assisted derivatization, and ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry were all optimized in detail. Satisfactory linearity, recovery, repeatability, accuracy and precision, absence of matrix effect, extremely low limits of detection (0.005-0.015 ng/mL) and limits of quantification (0.030-0.10 ng/mL) were achieved. The proposed method was compared with previously reported methods. It showed better sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy. The matrix effect was also significantly reduced. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of five phytosterols in vegetable oil (sunflower oil, olive oil, corn oil, peanut oil), milk and orange juice (soymilk, peanut milk, orange juice), and medicinal herbs (Ginseng, Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps, Polygonum multiflorum) for the quality control of functional foods and medicinal herbs.