为了简单、方便地精确定量和定性样品中的 4-甲基咪唑，建立了一种采用阳离子交换色谱 － 质谱联用(IC-MS)技术准确检测 4-甲基咪唑含量的新方法，该方法的检出限为 0. 25μg/L，线性范围为 2. 5 ～ 200 μg/L，线性相关系数为 0. 999 7，相对标准偏差为2. 32% ～4. 25%，加标回收率为92. 7% ～96. 3%． 使用该方法对焦糖色素、可乐等样品进行检测，结果表明，该方法具有分离度高、灵敏度高、定量准确、精密度高、检出限低的特点．

In order to quantitatively and qualitatively determine the content of 4-methylimidazole in samples with simplicity，convenience and accuracy，a new method using cation exchange chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed． This method，with a detection limit of 0． 25μg/L，a linear range varying from 2． 5 to 200μg/L，a linear correlation coefficient of 0． 9997，a relative standard deviation of 2． 32% ～ 4． 25% and a recovery varying from 92． 7% to 96． 3%，was then used to test the 4-methylimidazole in caramel pigment，cola and some other samples．The results show that the proposed method is of high separation degree，good sensitivity，accurate quantification，high precision and low detection limit．