Three-Dimensional Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 as Sorbent Integrated with Active Capillary Plasma Mass Spectrometry for Rapid Assessment of Low-Level Wine and Grape Quality-Related Volatiles

The most commonly used methods to chemically assess grape and wine quality with high sensitivity and selectivity require lengthy analysis time and can be resource intensive. Here, we developed a rapid and non-destructive method that would help in grading and decision support. In this work, we demonstrate that integrating a three-dimensional (3D) material for volatile sampling with mass spectrometry detection can be used to sample grapes for phytosanitary, quality or smoke-taint assessments at low levels of marker compounds. An efficient zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) material was synthesised in situ on nickel foam (NF), taking advantage of its ultrahigh surface area, structural diversity, and functionality as an emerging nanostructured material for preconcentrating low-level wine and grape quality-related volatiles. When used as a sorbent in thermal desorption tubes and coupled directly to active capillary mass spectrometry, the average signal across the selected analytes increased by ~50% as compared to Tenax TA, a commercially available polymer, in a measurement that takes less than two minutes. The first integration of 3D materials into mass spectrometry opens new possibilities for developing new material architecture with enhanced selectivity of next-generation multifunctional instrumentation for volatile analysis and product quality assessment.