Benzene, a known carcinogen in humans, can form in beverages by the transition metal-catalyzed reaction of ascorbic acid and benzoic acid. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established the legal limit of benzene in drinking water as 5 ppb. However, beverages are currently being distributed which may contain benzene levels above this allowable concentration. Therefore, a method to detect and quantitate the presence of benzene is essential.Gas Chromatography/ Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) will be utilized to quantify the concentration of benzene as well as other volatile hydrocarbons in a series of beverages. Method development will allow for detection of benzene at 5ppb with less than 10% RSD. A systematic investigation of the mechanism of the benzene formation reaction will also be performed. The experimental work presented will further investigate how strictly beverages are being manufactured to meet EPA guidelines of the legal concentration of benzene in drinking water.

Detection and quantitation of volatile, organic compounds in beverages

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.