Perry G. Wang (Ed.): Monolithic chromatography and its modern applications

Organic micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and pesticides, are important environmental contaminants. To obtain more information regarding their presence in marine organisms, an increasing demand exists for reliable analytical methods for quantification of these micropollutants in biotic matrices. Therefore, we developed extraction procedures and new analytical methods for the quantification of 14 pesticides, 10 PFCs, and 11 pharmaceuticals in tissue of marine organisms, namely blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). This paper presents these optimized analytical procedures and their application to M. edulis, deployed at five stations in the Belgian coastal zone. The methods consisted of a pressurized liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry for pharmaceuticals and pesticides, and of a liquid extraction using acetonitrile and SPE, followed by liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry for PFCs. The limits of quantification of the three newly optimized analytical procedures in M. edulis tissue varied between 0.1 and 10 ng g(-1), and satisfactory linearities (≥0.98) and recoveries (90-106%) were obtained. Application of these methods to M. edulis revealed the presence of five pharmaceuticals, two PFCs, and seven pesticides at levels up to 490, 5, and 60 ng g(-1), respectively. The most prevalent micropollutants were salicylic acid, paracetamol, perfluorooctane sulfonate, chloridazon, and dichlorvos.     

Comparison of extraction solvents and sorbents in the quick,easy, cheap,effective, rugged,and safe method for the determination of pesticide multiresidue in fruits by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

An improved analytical method was developed for the simultaneous quantification of several plant growth regulators and fungicides (carbendazim, pyrimethanil, metalaxyl, triadimefon, paclobutrazol, thiophanate, prochloraz, dimethomorph, difenoconazole, (4‐chlorophenoxy)‐acetic acid, (2,4‐dichlorophenoxy)‐acetic acid, thiadiazuron, forchlorfenuron and gibberellins) in fruits followed by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Samples were extracted and purified using a modified QuEChERS method. Different extraction solvents and sorbents in the QuEChERS method were compared. Optimum results were followed by the addition of 1% acetic acid in acetonitrile; C₁₈ sorbent was added due to the acidic nature of several pesticides. The recoveries of the pesticides were in the range 73.7–118.4%, with relative standard deviations lower than 16.63%. Limits of detection ranged from 0.1–1.0 μg/kg. The method presented here is simple, rapid, sensitive and can be applied to large‐scale monitoring programs to screen the presences of pesticides in fruits.     

Rapid quantification of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in passive samplers using ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry

The presence of both pharmaceuticals and pesticides in the aquatic environment has become a well-known environmental issue during the last decade. An increasing demand however still exists for sensitive and reliable monitoring tools for these rather polar contaminants in the marine environment. In recent years, the great potential of passive samplers or equilibrium based sampling techniques for evaluation of the fate of these contaminants has been shown in literature. Therefore, we developed a new analytical method for the quantification of a high number of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in passive sampling devices. The analytical procedure consisted of extraction using 1:1 methanol/acetonitrile followed by detection with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution and high mass accuracy Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Validation of the analytical method resulted in limits of quantification and recoveries ranging between 0.2 and 20 ng per sampler sheet and between 87.9 and 105.2%, respectively. Determination of the sampler-water partition coefficients of all compounds demonstrated that several pharmaceuticals and most pesticides exert a high affinity for the polydimethylsiloxane passive samplers. Finally, the developed analytical methods were used to measure the time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of the targeted pollutants in passive samplers, deployed at eight stations in the Belgian coastal zone. Propranolol, carbamazepine and seven pesticides were found to be very abundant in the passive samplers. These obtained long-term and large-scale TWA concentrations will contribute in assessing the environmental and human health risk of these emerging pollutants.     

Multi-residue analysis of emerging pollutants in sediment using QuEChERS-based extraction followed by LC-MS/MS analysis

Emerging contaminants are suspected to cause adverse effects in humans and wildlife. Aquatic ecosystems are continuously contaminated by agricultural and industrial sources. To establish a causality relationship between the occurrence of contaminants in the environment and disease, experiments including all environmental matrices must be performed. Consequently, the current analytical tools must be improved. A new multi-residue method for analysing 15 emerging pollutants in sediments based on the Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe approach is reported. The development of such a multirisque, inter-family method for sediment including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, personal care products and plasticizers is reported for the first time. The procedure involves salting-out liquid–liquid extraction using acetonitrile and clean-up with dispersive solid phase extraction, followed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The validated analytical procedure exhibited recoveries between 40 and 98 % for every target compound. This methodology facilitated the determination of pollutant contents at nanogram-per-gram concentrations.

气相色谱串联质谱法测定蔬菜中甲拌磷和克百威及其代谢物的残留量

建立气相色谱–三重四级杆串联质谱法(GC–MS/MS)测定蔬菜中甲拌磷及其代谢产物甲拌磷砜、甲拌磷亚砜,克百威及其代谢产物3-羟基克百威。蔬菜样品经乙腈提取、Qu ECh ERS法净化,GC–MS/MS采用选择反应监测模式(SRM)采集数据后进行分析。5种化合物的含量在检测范围内与色谱峰面积均呈良好的线性,相关系数r2为0.998 0~0.999 6。在0.02,0.05 mg/kg的添加水平下,平均回收率在73.6%~118.2%范围内,测定结果的相对标准偏差小于8.5%(n=6),方法定量限为5~10μg/kg。该方法可用于蔬菜中甲拌磷和克百威及其代谢物的常规检测。     

Applications of solid‐phase micro‐extraction with mass spectrometry in pesticide analysis

Pesticides, widely applied in agriculture, can produce a variety of transformation products and their continuous use causes deleterious effects to ecosystem. Efficient and sensitive analytical techniques for enrichment and analysis of pesticides samples are highly required. Compared with other extraction methods, solid‐phase micro extraction is a solvent free, cost effective, robust, versatile, and high throughput sample preparation technique, especially for the analysis of pesticides from complicated matrices. Coupling of solid‐phase micro extraction with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry has been extensively applied in pesticide analysis. On the other hand, in recent years, combination of fast separation using solid‐phase micro extraction and rapid detection using ambient mass spectrometry is providing highly efficient pesticide screening. This article summarizes the applications of solid‐phase micro extraction coupled to mass spectrometry for pesticides analysis.     

超高效液相色谱-四极杆-飞行时间质谱法快速筛查牛奶中的农药和兽药残留

利用超高效液相色谱-四极杆-飞行时间质谱(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS)技术建立了牛奶中42种农药和兽药残留的快速检测方法。目标药物包括常用的13种农药和29种兽药,采用QuEChERS（Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe）方法进行样品前处理。牛奶样品经含1%甲酸的乙腈溶液提取,同时加入无水硫酸钠和氯化钾盐析,提取液经C18填料净化后直接测定。目标药物经ACQUITY UPLCTMBEH C18柱分离,以乙腈和0.1%甲酸水溶液为流动相进行梯度洗脱,采用正离子全信息串联质谱扫描模式(MSE)进行检测。结果表明,牛奶中42种农药和兽药的定量限(LOQ, S/N=10)为1～100 μg/kg; 3个加标水平的平均回收率为68.2%～129.1%,相对标准偏差为2.8%～30.8%。该方法快速简便、灵敏度较高,可用于牛奶中42种农兽药的快速筛查。     

Multiresidue method for the determination of 227 pesticides in hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry†

A high‐throughput, rapid, and efficient modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) method with a simple cleanup procedure has been developed for simultaneously determining 227 pesticides in pepper samples by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (running time: 10 min). Pesticide residues were extracted/partitioned with an acetonitrile/DisQuE QuEChERS pouch, and the resulting samples were cleaned up with different methods: dispersive solid‐phase extraction with primary secondary amines or multiwalled carbon nanotubes and graphitized carbon solid mini cartridge column. The results indicated that multiwalled carbon nanotubes dispersive sorbents achieved the best recoveries and had less matrix interference. The numbers of pesticides with a recovery in the range of 70–120% were 199 at a spiked level of 40 μg/kg. The correlation coefficients (r²) for 227 pesticides were above 0.99, while the limits of quantitation of pesticides in pepper samples ranged from 0.13 to 13.51 μg/kg (S/N = 10), and the limits of detection ranged from 0.04 to 4.05 μg/kg (S/N = 3). The relative standard deviations of approximately 197 pesticides were below 20% at spiked levels of 40 μg/kg. Based on these results, the proposed method was chosen as the most suitable cleanup procedure for the determination of multiresidue pesticides in pepper samples.     

Sensitive analytical methods for 22 relevant insecticides of 3 chemical families in honey by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS

Several methods for analyzing pesticides in honey have been developed. However, they do not always reach the sufficiently low limits of quantification (LOQ) needed to quantify pesticides toxic to honey bees at low doses. To properly evaluate the toxicity of pesticides, LOQ have to reach at least 1 ng/g. In this context, we developed extraction and analytical methods for the simultaneous detection of 22 relevant insecticides belonging to three chemical families (neonicotinoids, pyrethroids, and pyrazoles) in honey. The insecticides were extracted with the QuEChERS method that consists in an extraction and a purification with mixtures of salts adapted to the matrix and the substances to be extracted. Analyses were performed by gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) for the pyrazoles and the pyrethroids and by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) for the neonicotinoids and ethiprole. Calibration curves were built from various honey types fortified at different concentrations. Linear responses were obtained between 0.2 and 5 ng/g. Limits of detection (LOD) ranged between 0.07 and 0.2 ng/g, and LOQ ranged between 0.2 and 0.5 ng/g. The mean extraction yields ranged between 63 % and 139 % with RSD <25 %. A complete validation of the methods also examined recovery rates and specificity. These methods were applied to 90 honey samples collected during a 2009–2010 field study in two apiaries placed in different anthropic contexts.

Determination of 19 sulfonamides residues in pork samples by combining QuEChERS with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by UHPLC–MS/MS

A new simple and rapid pretreatment method for simultaneous determination of 19 sulfonamides in pork samples was developed through combining the QuEChERS method with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The sample preparation involves extraction/partitioning with QuEChERS method followed by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction using tetrachloroethane as extractive solvent and the acetonitrile extract as dispersive solvent that obtained by QuEChERS. The enriched tetrachloroethane organic phase by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction was evaporated, reconstituted with 100 μL acetonitrile/water (1:9 v/v) and injected into an ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and 0.1% v/v formic acid under gradient elution and separated using a BHE C₁₈ column. Various parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were investigated. Matrix‐matched calibration curves were established. Good linear relationships were obtained for all analytes in a range of 2.0–100 μg/kg and the limits of detection were 0.04–0.49 μg/kg. Average recoveries at three spiking levels were in the range of 78.3–106.1% with relative standard deviations less than 12.7% (n = 6). The developed method was successfully applied to determine sulfonamide residues in pork samples.     

液相色谱-四极杆/ 飞行时间质谱快速筛查与确证苹果、番茄和甘蓝中的281种农药残留

建立了苹果、番茄和甘蓝中281种农药残留的QuEChERS结合液相色谱-四极杆/飞行时间质谱(LC-Q-TOF/MS)快速筛查方法。方法采用1%醋酸乙腈提取样品,经丙基乙二胺(PSA)净化,LC-Q-TOF/MS测定。281种农药在苹果、番茄和甘蓝中3个添加水平下的回收率在70%～120%范围的比例分别为98.6%、99.3%和98.2%;回收率的相对标准偏差(RSD)均≤20%(n=5);在0.25～10倍最大残留限量(MRL)的含量范围内,线性相关系数r²≥0.99的农药比例分别为95.7%、96.1%和98.2%;检出限分别为0.03～4.47、0.01～4.49和0.02～3.61 μg/kg。本方法采用精确质量数据库和谱图库检索的方式,实现了不用农药标准品对照而完成对果蔬中农药残留的快速筛查,提高了定性鉴别的准确性。应用所建立的方法对30个市售果蔬样品进行筛查,共检出13种农药残留。其中,甘蓝中甲胺磷的含量超过了GB 2763-2012《食品安全国家标准\5食品中农药最大残留限量》和欧盟的MRL;番茄中鱼藤酮的含量超出欧盟的MRL。     

Simultaneous multi-residue pesticide analysis in soil samples with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry using QuEChERS and pressurised liquid extraction methods

To assess soil contamination, it is important to be able to measure different classes of pesticides simultaneously. For this reason we developed a sensitive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous analysis of 25 pesticides in soil samples. Multi-class pesticides (triazines, phenylureas, phenoxy acid pesticides etc.) were analysed using a single mass spectrometry method with a fast polarity switching option, allowing the analysis of 19 compounds in the positive ionisation mode and six compounds in the negative ionisation mode. Extraction of pesticides from soil samples was performed employing a pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) and a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) procedure, recently developed for the extraction of multi-residue pesticides from food matrices. The extraction efficiency, performance and recoveries of these two procedures were evaluated and compared. In addition, we studied the effect of matrix on signal suppression or enhancement. Isotope-labelled internal standards (ILIS) were used to compensate the suppression or enhancement of signal intensities in the extracted samples. The method was validated using reference soil material (EUROSOIL 7) spiked with 50 μg/kg of each pesticide. The average recovery by PLE varied between 65.1% and 122.2% with RSDs of 1.7–23.4%. QuEChERS provided better recoveries for most of the pesticides, the extraction recovery ranging from 79.4% to 113.3% with RSDs of 1.0–12.2%. Limits of quantification for all target compounds were within a range of 0.1–2.9 µg/kg.     

液相色谱-四极杆/ 飞行时间质谱快速筛查与确证苹果、番茄和甘蓝中的281种农药残留

建立了苹果、番茄和甘蓝中281种农药残留的QuEChERS结合液相色谱-四极杆/飞行时间质谱(LC-Q-TOF/MS)快速筛查方法。方法采用1%醋酸乙腈提取样品,经丙基乙二胺(PSA)净化,LC-Q-TOF/MS测定。281种农药在苹果、番茄和甘蓝中3个添加水平下的回收率在70%～120%范围的比例分别为98.6%、99.3%和98.2%;回收率的相对标准偏差(RSD)均≤20%(n=5);在0.25～10倍最大残留限量(MRL)的含量范围内,线性相关系数r²≥0.99的农药比例分别为95.7%、96.1%和98.2%;检出限分别为0.03～4.47、0.01～4.49和0.02～3.61 μg/kg。本方法采用精确质量数据库和谱图库检索的方式,实现了不用农药标准品对照而完成对果蔬中农药残留的快速筛查,提高了定性鉴别的准确性。应用所建立的方法对30个市售果蔬样品进行筛查,共检出13种农药残留。其中,甘蓝中甲胺磷的含量超过了GB 2763-2012《食品安全国家标准\5食品中农药最大残留限量》和欧盟的MRL;番茄中鱼藤酮的含量超出欧盟的MRL。     

Streamlined sample cleanup using combined dispersive solid-phase extraction and in-vial filtration for analysis of pesticides and environmental pollutants in shrimp

A new method of sample preparation was developed and is reported for the first time. The approach combines in-vial filtration with dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) in a fast and convenient cleanup of QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) extracts. The method was applied to simultaneous analysis of 42 diverse pesticides and 17 environmental contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and flame retardants, in shrimp as the sample matrix. Final extracts were analyzed by both low-pressure gas chromatography – triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LPGC-MS/MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography – triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to provide a wide scope of analysis for targeted analytes. During method development, several different commercial sorbents for d-SPE were investigated and compared with respect to analyte recoveries. The method was validated at 10, 50, and 100 ng g⁻¹ spiking levels (10-fold lower for PCBs), and the results for nearly all analytes were between 70 and 115% recoveries with ≤17% relative standard deviations. The method was shown to be simple, fast, and effective for multi-application analysis of chemical residues in the representative food and environmental marker matrix.     

A multi-residue screening method for the determination of 73 pesticides and metabolites in fruit and vegetables using high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A multi-residue screening method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of 73 pesticides and their metabolites using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. These pesticides were determined under a single set of experimental conditions involving a simple acetonitrile extraction without the requirement for a clean-up step. Validation was achieved at 0.01 and 0.1 mg kg(-1) levels in apple, lettuce and orange. Recoveries were in the range 77-124% for the majority of pesticides.     

柱头进样结合气相色谱质谱分析动物源食品中热不稳定性氨基甲酸酯类农药

对柱头进样结合气相色谱-质谱法(GC/MS)应用于复杂基体中热不稳定性氨基甲酸酯农药检测的可行性及可靠性进行了探讨.在常规不分流进样和柱头进样模式下,对13种氨基甲酸酯类农药的热不稳定性进行了比较.以猪肉、鸡蛋、牛奶为研究基体,采用乙腈提取,凝胶渗透色谱结合中性氧化铝固相萃取柱净化,柱头进样-GC/MS检测.研究表明:...     

Determination of pesticides originating from golf courses by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A multi-residue method using liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), associated with solid-phase extraction (SPE), was developed for the determination of 21 pesticides in water samples. The compounds investigated are used for the maintenance of golf courses and ordinarily measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Electrospray ionisation (ESI) was applied to all compounds, and LC and MS conditions were optimised to measure them under SRM mode. This method showed excellent linearity ranges for all pesticides, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.996. Two kinds of extraction cartridges, namely, styrene divinylbenzene polymer (Sep-Pak PS-2) and divinylbenzene-N-vinylpyrrolidone copolymer (Oasis HLB), were tested and the extraction conditions were optimised. All the pesticides were determined using acetonitrile and ethyl acetate as eluents in both cartridges, and good recoveries (>77%) and repeatability with low relative standard deviations (RSDs, <12%) were achieved from ultra-pure water. In addition, satisfactory recoveries (>76%) and low intra-day and inter-day RSDs (<15%) of all pesticides were also obtained with the Sep-Pak PS-2 cartridge when using river water. The method limits of detection (LODs) ranged between 0.068 (diazinon) and 3.9 (triclopyrbutoxyethyl)?ng?L^?1. The analytical method was successfully applied for the determination of pesticides in surface river water.     

Multiresidue determination of 114 multiclass pesticides in flue‐cured tobacco by solid‐phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive and robust multiresidue method for the simultaneous analysis of 114 pesticides in tobacco was developed based on solid‐phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. In this strategy, tobacco samples were extracted with acetonitrile and cleaned up with a multilayer solid‐phase extraction cartridge Cleanert TPT using acetonitrile/toluene (3:1) as the elution solvent. Two internal standards of different polarity were used to meet simultaneous pesticides quantification demands in the tobacco matrix. Satisfactory linearity in the range of 10–500 ng/mL was obtained for all 114 pesticides with linear regression coefficients higher than 0.994. The limit of detection and limit of quantification values were 0.02–5.27 and 0.06–17.6 ng/g, respectively. For most of the pesticides, acceptable recoveries in the range of 70–120% and repeatabilities (relative standard deviation) of <11% were achieved at spiking levels of 20, 100, and 400 ng/g. Compared with the reported multiresidue analytical method, the proposed method provided a cleaner test solution with smaller amounts of pigments, fatty acids as well as other undesirable interferences. The development and validation of the high sensitivity, high selectivity, easy automation, and high‐throughput analytical method meant that it could be successfully used for the determination of pesticides in tobacco samples.     

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric analysis and regulatory issues of polar pesticides in natural and treated waters

Pesticides are among the most detected contaminants in the aquatic environment. This is mainly due to their use in agriculture and their physico-chemical properties that enable transportation and a persistent or pseudo-persistent existence in the water media. Several directives and guidelines set maximum levels of pesticides in water in order to protect the human and environmental health. A brief discussion of the existing directives and guidelines concerning pesticides in water is presented, e.g., the new regulatory framework for the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH), and the Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market. Up-to-date analytical tools to support the REACH program are of prime importance to ensure its complete implementation. Since liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) is considered the most appropriate technique for determination of most modern pesticides in environmental waters, the most recent developments and applications in this field are discussed in detail in this review.     

Validation of a multiresidue method for the determination of pesticides in honeybees by gas chromatography

The validation of a multiresidue method for the determination of organochlorine, organophosphorus, pyrethroid and dicarboximide pesticides in honeybees is described. The method involves the extraction of 25 pesticides using acetonitrile, liquid partitioning with n-hexane and a clean-up performed on a silica gel cartridge (1 g, 12 mL). Capillary gas chromatography with electron-capture and nitrogen–phosphorus detectors was used for analytes determination. Limit of quantification (LOQ), recovery and relative standard deviation (RSD) for each analyte were determined. The recovery data were obtained by spiking honeybee samples free of pesticides at three levels (LOQ, 4LOQ and 8LOQ) with organochlorine, organophosphorus, pyrethroid and dicarboximide pesticides. The recoveries were in the range between 90.0% and 101.5% for LOQ, between 90.3% and 104.8% for 4LOQ and between 88.1% and 101.6% for 8LOQ with RSD less than 20% for the three levels tested. The lowest LOQ value was 1 ng bee^?1 (corresponding to 10 ng g^?1) and the highest LOQ value was 10 ng bee^?1 (corresponding to 100 ng g^?1). These LOQ values are lower than the lethal doses LD₅₀ (acute contact toxicity and acute oral toxicity) of each pesticide for bees.