RESUMO
A headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) method for the extraction and determination of residual methanol in artificial sweeteners by capillary gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) is described. A manual SPME holder with an 85- microm polyacrylate fibre was used. The optimized conditions for methanol extraction by SPME were: sample agitation, absorption temperature of 30 degrees C, absorption time of 10 min, desorption time of 2 min and sample volume in the vial of 400.0 micro l. Under these conditions the calibration graphs were linear in the range 2.50-31.60 mg x l(-1), and the precision was good (relative standard deviation 4.9%). The detection limit was 0.40 mg x l(-1); the quantification limit was 2.06 mg x l(-1).