Headspace Analysis for Residual Hexane in Vegetable Oil

To enforce the maximum residue limit for residual hexane (0.005 g/kg) in commercially available Korean vegetable oil, convenient and accurate quantification methods were investigated. Using dual surrogate standards, pentane and heptane were dissolved in ethanol, and then added to hexane-tree sunflower oil for setting up the calibration curve. Gas Chromatograph-Flame Ionization Detector with a porous layer open tubular column, indicated good chromatographic separation of hexane from other inhibiting matrix components. The lowest calibration level was $0.5\;{\mu}g/g$, not exceeding a relative standard deviation of 10% (RSD%), and 1.0\;{\mu}g/g$ not exceeding a deviation of 22% RSD% using heptane as an internal standard for the Static headspace analysis by using a headspace auto-sampler and manual injection, respectively. The residual hexane was detected in nine of the samples among 87 vegetable oil samples purchased on the local market.