Analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry of biophenolic compounds in olives and vegetation waters, Part I

Biophenolic compounds constitute a complex mixture in olives and derived products. In this work, ion-spray tandem mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography is applied to the identification and quantification of biophenols present in complex matrices such as olives and vegetation waters. The extraction and purification method for the biophenol present in both the matrices is reported. Using this approach the main biophenols found, in three different variety of olives, were: tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, oleoside methyl ester, oleoside dimethyl ester, and oleuropein. In vegetation water the biophenols are present in lower amounts than in olives.