초고성능액체크로마토그래피 질량분석기와 퀘쳐스 방법을 이용한 견과류 내멜라토닌 함량 분석

초록

Nuts are recognized not only as a nutritious component of a balanced diet but also as a natural dietary source of melatonin. Melatonin, a neurohormone secreted by the pineal gland, plays a crucial role in regulating sleep–wake cycles and circadian rhythms. Conventional extraction methods for melatonin, such as liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) and solid-phase extraction (SPE), are often time-consuming and require complex sample preparation. In this study, a QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) method was employed for the rapid and efficient extraction of melatonin from various nuts. Quantitative analysis was conducted using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, recovery, and intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision. The recovery rates ranged from 74.3% to 76.2%, and the accuracy and precision values were between 88.01% and 109.43%, and from 0.89% to 9.09%, respectively. These results indicate that the QuEChERS-based extraction combined with UPLC–MS/MS is a reliable and reproducible method for the determination of melatonin in nut matrices.

키워드