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RATIONALE To develop more eco-friendly laundry detergents, renewable surfactants synthesized from vegetal sources are increasingly being used. In a more stringent regulation context, the determination of bio-sourced surfactant origin thus appears essential to assess the claims of detergent manufacturers. Radiocarbon determination, the standard method for the analysis of bio-sourced materials, is an expensive technique, so there is a need for a cheaper method. METHODS Here, the use of an elemental analyzer linked to isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (EA/IRMS) is evaluated as an alternative approach to the official method. The δ(18) O, δ(13) C and δ(2) H isotope-ratio values were determined to investigate the bio-sourced origin of surfactant raw materials and mixtures. RESULTS A sample library of 26 commercial surfactants representative of detergent raw materials was first analyzed by EA/IRMS. The δ(18) O, δ(13) C and δ(2) H values allowed discrimination of synthetic and bio-sourced surfactants. Moreover, in this latter group, C4 plant-derived surfactants were distinguished by their δ(13) C values. Binary and ternary mixtures made of synthetic and bio-sourced surfactants were also analyzed and indicated a linear relationship between mixture isotope-ratio values and surfactant proportions. CONCLUSIONS IRMS represents a viable alternative to radiocarbon determination for the evaluation of surfactant bio-sourced origin. It is a faster and cheaper technique, allowing discrimination of petroleum- and biomass-derived surfactants and identification of their carbon sources (C4 or C3 plants).

RATIONALE The analytical composition and botanical origin of honey are basic data used to determine the quality of this foodstuff. Although proteins are used to characterise the analytical composition of honey, they can be eliminated during its ultrafiltration and, in the case of honeys not saturated with their own pollen, the use of proteins does not work well. As acidity is a well-known characteristic of honey and organic acids are present at around 0.5% in honey, we therefore investigated an alternative method to the protein-based White method, using organic acids as new internal standards instead of proteins. METHODS The qualitative and quantitative analyses of 14 organic acids were carried out by ion chromatography with an electrochemical detector. The 13C/12C isotopic ratios of the honeys, and of the organic acids extracted from them with an anion exchange resin, were determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. RESULTS Gluconic acid is the predominant organic acid in honey, at between 1.8 and 12.7 g/kg. For fir honey the major acid is galacturonic acid at around 4.6 g/kg. The isotopic ratios of honeys and of their acids are strongly linked. Correlations between the δ13C values of the honey and the acids were significant, and better than those obtained using proteins. CONCLUSIONS This study has provided a method to differentiate honeys from seven botanical origins, based on organic acid analysis. By combining various organic acid contents and isotopic ratio values through statistical processing by Principal Component Analysis it is possible to differentiate honey samples as a function of their botanical origin. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The carbon and nitrogen stable ratios of royal jelly (RJ) samples from various origins are determined using an elemental analyser linked online to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer to evaluate authenticity and adulteration. The (13)C/(12)C and (15)N/(14)N stable isotope ratios are measured in more than 500 RJs (domestic, imported and derived from feeding experiments) in order to obtain isotopic measurements that take into account seasonal, botanical and geographical effects. Authenticity intervals are established for traditional beekeeping practices, without feeding, in the range -22.48 to -27.90‰ for δ(13)C. For these samples, the δ(15)N values range from -1.58 to 7.98‰, depending on the plant sources of pollen and nectar. The δ(13)C values of the commercial samples vary from -18.54 to -26.58‰. High δ(13)C values are typical of sugar cane or corn syrups which have distinctive isotopic (13)C signatures because both plants use the C4 photosynthetic cycle, in contrast to most RJs which are derived from C3 plants. These differences in the (13)C-isotopic composition allow the detection of the addition of such sugars. RJs from traditional sources and from industrial production by sugar feeding are thus successfully distinguished.

We propose a new confirmatory method for testosterone doping in sport. The present method in use, based on measuring the testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio in urine, may miss suspicious cases, or lead to reporting cases in which the high ratio is natural. Synthetic testosterone has a 13C abundance different from that of endogenous human testosterone. The connection of a gas chromatograph to an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer via a combustion interface allows the measurement of the corresponding characteristic value (delta /1000) for testosterone, its precursors, and its metabolites. To detect exogenous administration of testosterone, 30-40 mL of urine is sufficient.We propose a new confirmatory method for testosterone doping in sport. The present method in use, based on measuring the testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio in urine, may miss suspicious cases, or lead to reporting cases in which the high ratio is natural. Synthetic testosterone has a 13C abundance different from that of endogenous human testosterone. The connection of a gas chromatograph to an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer via a combustion interface allows the measurement of the corresponding characteristic value (delta /1000) for testosterone, its precursors, and its metabolites. To detect exogenous administration of testosterone, 30-40 mL of urine is sufficient.