Abstract
The use of comprehensive gas chromatography (GCxGC) is a very useful approach in order to obtain a high resolution separation of complex samples.With comprehensive GCxGC (unlike "heart-cut" 2D GC) the whole sample injected into the system is subjected to two different stationary phases, resulting in a more effective separation than that obtained with conventional one-dimensional (1-D) GC. GCxGC is usually coupled on-line with mass spectrometry, since the resulting bidimensional chromatographic trace needs unambiguous peak identification. The main object of this study was the application of GCxGC/MS to the analysis of both saponifiable and unsaponifiable lipid fractions of different edible matrices. The fatty acids of pomegranate seed oil (Punica granatum), European anchovy's brain (Sardina pilchardus), Berberè (a mix of spices) and the not-saponifiable fraction of Coffea var. robusta were characterized by comprehensive multidimensional gas chromatography with a non-polar (5% phenyl polysiloxane)/medium polar (50% phenyl poly-siloxane) column set equipped with a quadrupole mass-spectrometer.