A rapid multiresidue method for determination of pesticides in fruits and vegetables by using acetonitrile extraction/partitioning and solid-phase extraction column cleanup

A modification of a rapid and inexpensive multiresidue method for determination of pesticides in fruits and vegetables (QuEChERS method) is presented. Samples were extracted by shaking with acetic acid-acetonitrile (1 + 99). Water was removed by liquid-liquid partitioning with magnesium sulfate and sodium acetate. The extract was subjected to a single solid-phase extraction (SPE) column cleanup, which produced a cleaner extract than did the dispersive SPE cleanup used in the original QuEChERS method. Recovery data were obtained for 316 pesticide residues, at levels ranging from 20 ppb to 1.0 ppm. Data were provided by 3 different laboratories. The modified QuEChERS method resulted in a 65% reduction in solvent usage, when compared with the traditional multiresidue methods previously used in our laboratories.     

Development and validation of a multiresidue method for the determination of 323 pesticide residues in dry herbs using QuEChERS method and LC-ESI-MS/MS

A multiresidue method was studied for determination of 323 pesticides representing a wide range of physicochemical properties in dry herbs (chamomile and parsley) based on QuEChERS method and LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. In the current study, three different parameters were optimised for a higher accuracy and a lower matrix effects: extraction procedures, cleanup and matrix effect. Optimum extraction efficiency was obtained at sample hydration of 10 mL water on 2 g dry herbs and soaking time for 10 min. Use of different extraction techniques supported the use of mechanical shaker in comparison with ultrasound and handed shaking. As a way to remove interfering components from final extract, different cleanup techniques were studied: three dispersive solid phase extraction (D-SPE) (C₁₈, primary secondary amine and graphitised carbon black) have been investigated; matrix effect was reduced, but several pesticides were lost during the cleanup process. Unlike the SPE (hydrophilic lipophilic balanced polymer) produced a good recovery with all substances without expected reduction in matrix effect. Moreover, sample dilution and LC-MS/MS injection volume were studied, 3 µL injection volume was found to be the best sensitive condition without sample dilution. The developed method was validated by performing recovery tests at 0.01, 0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg, the average recoveries ranged from 70% to 120%. The reproducibility expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD %) was ≤ 20%.     

Evaluation of various QuEChERS based methods for the analysis of herbicides and other commonly used pesticides in polished rice by LC-MS/MS

Four different extraction and clean-up protocols based on the QuEChERS method were compared for the development of an optimized sample preparation procedure for the multiresidue analysis of 16 commonly applied herbicides in rice crops using LC-QqQ/MS. Additionally the methods were evaluated for the analysis of 26 insecticides and fungicides currently used in rice crops. The methods comprise, in general, the hydratation of the sample with water followed by the extraction with acetonitrile, phase separation with the addition of different salts and finally a clean-up step with various sorbents.Matrix effects were evaluated for the 4 studied methods using LC-QqQ/MS. Additionally LC-TOF/MS was used to compare the co-extractants obtained with the four assayed methodologies. Thirty-six pesticides presented good performance with recoveries in the range 70-120% and relative standard deviations below 20% using 7.5 g of milled polished rice and the buffered acetate QuEChERS method without clean-up at both fortification levels: 10 and 300 μg kg⁻¹. The other six pesticides presented low recovery rates, nevertheless all these analytes could be analyzed with at least one of the other three studied procedures.     

Comparison of sample preparation methods combined with fast gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for ultratrace analysis of pesticide residues in baby food

Four sample preparation techniques were compared for the ultratrace analysis of pesticide residues in baby food: (a) modified Schenck's method based on ACN extraction with SPE cleaning; (b) quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method based on ACN extraction and dispersive SPE; (c) modified QuEChERS method which utilizes column-based SPE instead of dispersive SPE; and (d) matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD). The methods were combined with fast gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis. The effectiveness of clean-up of the final extract was determined by comparison of the chromatograms obtained. Time consumption, laboriousness, demands on glassware and working place, and consumption of chemicals, especially solvents, increase in the following order QuEChERS < modified QuEChERS < MSPD < modified Schenck's method. All methods offer satisfactory analytical characteristics at the concentration levels of 5, 10, and 100 microg/kg in terms of recoveries and repeatability. Recoveries obtained for the modified QuEChERS method were lower than for the original QuEChERS. In general the best LOQs were obtained for the modified Schenck's method. Modified QuEChERS method provides 21-72% better LOQs than the original method.     

Validation of a fast and easy method for the determination of residues from 229 pesticides in fruits and vegetables using gas and liquid chromatography and mass spectrometric detection

Validation experiments were conducted of a simple, fast, and inexpensive method for the determination of 229 pesticides fortified at 10-100 ng/g in lettuce and orange matrixes. The method is known as the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method for pesticide residues in foods. The procedure involved the extraction of a 15 g sample with 15 mL acetonitrile, followed by a liquid-liquid partitioning step performed by adding 6 g anhydrous MgSO4 plus 1.5 g NaCl. After centrifugation, the extract was decanted into a tube containing 300 mg primary secondary amine (PSA) sorbent plus 1.8 g anhydrous MgSO4, which constituted a cleanup procedure called dispersive solid-phase extraction (dispersive SPE). After a second shaking and centrifugation step, the acetonitrile extract was transferred to autosampler vials for concurrent analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with an ion trap instrument and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry with a triple quadrupole instrument using electrospray ionization. Each analytical method was designed to analyze 144 pesticides, with 59 targeted by both instruments. Recoveries for all but 11 of the analytes in at least one of the matrixes were between 70-120% (90-110% for 206 pesticides), and repeatabilities typically <10% were achieved for a wide range of fortified pesticides, including methamidophos, spinosad, imidacloprid, and imazalil. Dispersive SPE with PSA retained carboxylic acids (e.g., daminozide), and <50% recoveries were obtained for asulam, pyridate, dicofol, thiram, and chlorothalonil. Many actual samples and proficiency test samples were analyzed by the method, and the results compared favorably with those from traditional methods.     

Development of a new QuEChERS method based on dry ice for the determination of 168 pesticides in paprika using tandem mass spectrometry

This study describes a new QuEChERS method referred to as the dry ice-partitioning QuEChERS method. This current method can be differentiated from the other QuEChERS methods in the sense that it uses dry ice rather than salts or buffers to extract and partition pesticides in the first extraction step. The dry ice-partitioning QuEChERS method consists of extraction method A (for detection of the acetonitrile layer) and extraction method B (for detection of both acetonitrile and aqueous layers). The extraction efficiency was then compared with the citrate-buffering QuEChERS method by means of recovery. Recovery values of the tested 168 pesticides were above 76%, with relative standard deviations of less than 20%. Certain problematic pesticides, including benfuracarb, carbosulfan, dichlofluanid, probenazole, pymetrozine, tolylfluanid, TFNA, and TFNG evidenced acceptable recoveries via the dry ice-partitioning QuEChERS method compared to the less than 70% recoveries of the citrate-buffering QuEChERS method examined herein. The matrix effect of paprika on the method developed herein was not significant, and matrix-matched calibration was performed well, with an r(2)≥0.99. The dry ice-partitioning QuEChERS method is capable of detecting the aqueous layer as well as the acetonitrile layer; this interesting feature makes it worth in application as an alternative QuEChERS method for the multiresidue analysis of pesticides within a broad polarity range in various matrices.     

Analysis of insecticides in honey by liquid chromatography-ion trap-mass spectrometry: comparison of different extraction procedures

The feasibility of different extraction procedures was tested and compared for the determination of 12 organophosphorus and carbamates insecticides in honey samples. In this sense, once the samples were pre-treated - essentially dissolved in hot water by stirring - and before they could be analyzed by liquid chromatography-ion trap-second stage mass spectrometry (LC-MS(2)), four different approaches were studied for the extraction step: QuEChERS, solid-phase extraction (SPE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The main aim of this work was to maximise the sensitivity of pesticides and to minimise the presence of interfering compounds in the extract. All pesticides were linear in the range from CC(β) to 1000× CC(β) for the four extraction methods (three orders of magnitude). Detection capabilities (CC(β)) were 0.024-1.155 mg kg(-1) with QuEChERS, 0.010-0.646 mg kg(-1) with SPE, 0.007-0.595 mg kg(-1) with PLE, and 0.001-0.060 mg kg(-1) with SPME. All the target compounds could be recovered by any of the methods, at a CC(β) fortification level ranged from 28 to 90% for the SPME. In comparison, the PLE method was the most efficient extraction method with recoveries from 82 to 104%. It was followed by the QuEChERS method with recoveries between 78 and 101% and the SPE method with recoveries between 72 and 100%. The repeatability expressed as relative standard deviation (RSDs) was below 20% for all the pesticides by any of the tested extraction methods. Results obtained applying the four extraction techniques to real honey samples are analogous.     

Rapid determination of residual pesticides in tobacco by the quick,easy, cheap,effective, rugged,and safe sample pretreatment method coupled with LC–MS

A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) sample pretreatment method coupled with LC–MS was developed for the determination of 11 pesticides in tobacco. Sample pretreatment parameters and instrumental parameters of LC–MS were investigated, and the optimal conditions were selected. Under the optimized conditions, the 11 pesticides were detected simultaneously with a good linear relationship (r² = 0.9993–0.9999) and high precisions (less than 5% of the RSD of peak areas). The LODs were in the range of 0.1–5.0 μg/L. Compared with SPE clean‐up, QuEChERS greatly simplified the sample pretreatment with simple solvent extraction system. After QuEChERS pretreatment, no serious matrix effects were observed. Used for the analysis of real samples, metalaxyl was found in cigarette and tobacco samples at 63.47 and 132.27 ng/g, respectively. The recoveries for 11 pesticides were in the range of 70.03–118.69%, and RSDs were less than 10%. The proposed method is simple, low cost, and has good reproducibility.     

Comparison of an acetonitrile extraction/partitioning and "dispersive solid-phase extraction" method with classical multi-residue methods for the extraction of herbicide residues in barley samples

An acetonitrile/partitioning extraction and "dispersive solid-phase extraction (SPE)" method that provides high quality results with a minimum number of steps and a low solvent and glassware consumption was published in 2003. This method, suitable for the analysis of multiple classes of pesticide residues in foods, has been given an acronymic name, QuEChERS, that reflects its major advantages (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe). In this work, QuEChERS method, which was originally created for vegetable samples with a high amount of water, was modified to optimise the extraction of a wide range of herbicides in barley. Then, it was compared with known conventional multi-residue extraction procedures such as the Luke method, which was simplified and shortened by eliminating the Florisil clean-up (mini Luke) and the ethyl acetate extraction, which involves a subsequent clean-up by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and which is the official extraction method used by some of European authorities. Finally, a simple acetone extraction was carried out to check the differences with the other three methods. Extracts were analysed by gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Mini Luke was significantly more effective for the extraction of non-polar and medium-polar compounds, but the best recoveries for polar compounds were achieved by QuEChERS and ethyl acetate methods. QuEChERS was the only method that provided an overall recovery value of 60-70% for non-, medium- and polar compounds, with some exceptions due to co-eluted matrix interferences. Clean-up by dispersive SPE was effective and did not differ so much with ethyl acetate extracts considering that QuEChERS clean-up step is much easier and less time-consuming. As a conclusion, it resulted to be the most universal extraction method by providing a well-defined phase separation without dilution and achieving acceptable recoveries in average including the extraction of the always difficult acidic herbicides. However, recoveries were not as good as required for validation purposes suggesting that residues are prone to strong matrix interactions in dry samples as barley and further method adaptation incrementing solvent strength, extraction time or more acidic or basic conditions is needed in order to achieve a complete extraction.     

Determination of polar pesticides in water, vegetables, and fruits by high performance liquid chromatography

The methods for determining 25 combined pesticides (neonicotinoids, imidazole derivatives, urea derivatives, sim-triazines, triazoles, carbamates, organophosphorous compounds, pirethroids) in water, vegetables, and fruits in the concentration range of 0.005–10 mg/L (mg/kg) have been developed by the HPLC method with diode matrix detection at 220 nm. The determination of pesticides in water was carried out without the preparation or concentration of the sample. In the analysis of vegetables and fruits (pestcides extraction and extract purification), the preparation of the sample was performed by the QuEChERS method. The duration of analysis is 0.5–1.0 h, and the relative standard deviation of analysis results does not stand out above 0.05.     

Optimization of a Multiresidue Analysis of 65 Pesticides in Surface Water Using Solid-Phase Extraction by LC-MS/MS

An analytical method was developed and validated for simultaneous quantitation of 65 pesticides, including one single solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure in surface water by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectroscopy. Different parameters that have an influence on extraction efficiency were evaluated in this research. Different types of cartridges, elution solvents, and sorbent drying time were investigated, and the most appropriate one was selected. Moreover, various pretreatment techniques were applied to remove sediments from water without the loss of pesticides. Centrifugation was introduced as the best option at the beginning of sample preparation to resolve the clogging of the sorbent cartridges. The recoveries of all pesticides ranged from 70% to 120%, with a relative standard deviation of less than 13.7%. The feasibility of the method was evaluated on 10 surface water samples with different concentrations of sand, sediment, and particles.     

基于QuEChERS提取方法优化的液相色谱-串联质谱法测定蔬菜中51种氨基甲酸酯类农药残留

采用气相色谱-质谱（GC-MS）全扫描结合NIST谱库检索方法分析6种蔬菜（番茄、青刀豆、大葱、青花菜、姜、胡萝卜）提取液中的基质干扰物,以蒸发残渣重量法探讨乙二胺N-丙基硅烷（PSA）、十八烷基硅烷（C18）及两者组合对6种蔬菜提取液基质干扰物的净化效果及吸附机理,考察了原创QuEChERS方法及AOAC 2007.01方法对蔬菜中51种氨基甲酸酯类农药提取的适用性,并建立了液相色谱-串联质谱法测定蔬菜中51种氨基甲酸酯类农药残留的方法。结果表明,C18与PSA组合进行分散固相萃取的净化效果最好;AOAC 2007.01方法适用于二氧威以外的50种农药残留的提取,而原创QuEChERS方法对二氧威残留的提取可获得满意结果。经电喷雾正离子电离及多反应监测模式来测定目标化合物,采用基质匹配标准溶液曲线法进行定量。结果表明：51种农药在6种基质中3个添加水平（10、20、100 μg/kg）的回收率为58.4%~126%,相对标准偏差为3.3%~26%;以信噪比（S/N）≥10计,久效威及杀螟丹的定量限（LOQ）为50 μg/kg,其他49种农药的LOQ为0.2~10 μg/kg。本文方法有效、灵敏,适用于不同蔬菜基质中51种氨基甲酸酯类农药残留的测定。     

Evaluation of matrix effects in different multipesticide residue analysis methods using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry,including an automated two‐dimensional cleanup approach

Pesticide residue analysis is an important part of food quality control. Three of the most widely used methods are the DFG S19 (extraction with acetone), the ChemElut method (extraction with methanol), and QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe; acetonitrile‐based). Despite many developments in the field of sample preparation, matrix effects are still one of the most disturbing problems in routine analysis. In this study, we compare the matrix effects in LC–MS analysis after using these three methods in pesticide analysis. Using postcolumn infusion, we were able to visualize all suppressions over the whole chromatogram in matrix‐effect profiles. Recently, we also presented a system for the determination of up to 300 pesticides from various kinds of fruit and vegetables. For the measurement, we injected an aliquot of a raw acetonitrile extract. The subsequent cleanup was carried out fully automated by a multidimensional LC. Matrix compounds and analytes are separated in the first dimension on a hydrophilic interaction LC column. In this study, we also compared this new approach with the classical methods. The matrix‐effect profiles showed less suppression with the hydrophilic interaction LC‐based cleanup. A final evaluation of the partitioning steps of all methods confirmed the benefits of the chromatographic cleanup approach.     

对比3种不同的QuEChERS前处理方式在气相色谱-串联质谱检测分析烟草中上百种农药残留中的应用

以气相色谱-串联质谱(GC-MS/MS)技术为基础,建立了适合烟草中上百种农药残留分析的3种QuEChERS前处理方法:溶剂转换法、提取液稀释法和正己烷液液萃取法。以烟草中的有机磷、有机氯、拟除虫菊酯类、酰胺类、氨基甲酸酯类、二硝基苯胺类等共155种农药为研究对象,从基质效应、共萃取基质、色谱峰干扰、回收率和定量限等方面对3种前处理方式进行对比分析。经考察发现,3种方法各有优缺点,正己烷液液萃取法得到的提取液中共萃取基质含量最少,但只能保证约100种目标物的回收率在70%~120%;溶剂转换法和提取液稀释法对绝大部分目标物都能保证回收率在70%~120%,适合用于多农药残留分析检测。对不同种类农药进行对比,发现有机磷、酰胺类和氨基甲酸酯类农药的基质效应相对较强,而有机氯和拟除虫菊酯类目标物的基质效应相对较弱,因此,对有机磷农药单独分析时,建议使用提取液稀释法;对有机氯和拟除虫菊酯类农药单独分析时,建议使用正己烷液液萃取法。     

Review of the QuEChERS method for the analysis of organic pollutants: Persistent organic pollutants,polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,and pharmaceuticals

In multi-residue pesticide analysis, the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method has replaced less efficient traditional extraction methods due to its many advantages. In addition to pesticide analysis, this method has been widely used for the detection and analysis of pharmaceuticals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and several persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, perfluoroalkyl substances, and brominated flame retardants in food, biological, and environmental matrices. The analysis of PAHs and POPs is challenging due to the properties of the target compounds and their low concentrations in complex matrices. This review summarizes previously reported the QuEChERS extraction approaches to the analysis of a wide range of analytes. The QuEChERS approaches, which include dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE), have generally been combined with either gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) or liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis. Further on, in recent years, GC and LC-tandem mass spectrometry has been utilized with the QuEChERS extraction due to its high selectivity, sensitivity, and specificity. This enables the extraction methods for target analytes to be modified through the selection of different extraction solvents, salt formulations, and buffers for salting-out partitioning and the selection of different d-SPE and SPE sorbents for the clean-up process. The most significant advantage of this method is that concentration steps are not required. This review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of information regarding the modification of extraction techniques based on target compounds and sample matrices.     

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry for the Simultaneous Analysis of 353 Pesticides in the Edible Insect Tenebrio molitor Larvae (Mealworms)

Tenebrio molitor larvae (mealworm) is an edible insect and is considered a future food. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), a novel method for simultaneous analysis of 353 target analytes was developed and validated. Various sample preparation steps including “quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe” (QuEChERS) extraction conditions, number of acetonitrile-hexane partitions, and dispersive-solid phase extraction (dSPE) sorbents were compared, and the optimal conditions were determined. In the established method, 5 g of homogenized mealworms was extracted with acetonitrile and treated with QuEChERS EN 15662 salts. The crude extract was subjected to three rounds of acetonitrile-hexane partitioning, and the acetonitrile layer was cleaned with C18 dSPE. The final solution was matrix-matched and injected into LC-MS/MS (2 μL). For target analytes, the limits of quantitation (LOQs) were ≤10 μg/kg, and the correlation coefficient (r²) of calibration was >0.990. In recovery tests, more than 90% of the pesticides showed an excellent recovery range (70–120%) with relative standard deviation (RSD) ≤20%. For more than 94% of pesticides, a negligible matrix effect (within ±20%) was observed. The analytical method was successfully applied and used for the detection of three urea pesticides in 4 of 11 mealworm samples.     

Determination of multiresidue pesticides in green tea by using a modified QuEChERS extraction and ion-trap gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

The pesticide residues in exported and imported tea products must not exceed the maximum residue limits (MRLs) regulated by the import countries. Tea is a complex matrix that obfuscates the determination of pesticide residues. Many available methods for multiresidue pesticide analysis of tea are time-consuming and require many cleanup steps. The objective of this study was to develop a simple multiresidue method by using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction and ion-trap GC/MS/MS, which can identify, confirm, and quantify pesticides in complex matrixes. A tea product was homogenized with water, and the pesticides were extracted with acetonitrile containing 1% acetic acid. The extract was subjected to centrifugation, initial cleanup with dispersive SPE (dSPE), solvent exchange, and final cleanup with dSPE. Diethyl-d10-parathion and triphenyl phosphate were used as the internal standard and surrogate, respectively. The final extract was injected into an ITQ 700 gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer. Quantitation of individual pesticides was based on matrix-matched calibration curves with a correlation coefficient of > 0.9930 for the 22 pesticides selected for the study. The recoveries of the 22 pesticides ranged from 78 to 115%, except those for diazinon (130%) and malathion (122%), with an average RSD of 8.7%. The LOD values of all of the pesticides, except for terbufos, were below the MRLs set by the European Union and Japan.     

基于通过型固相萃取-超高效液相色谱-高分辨质谱同时测定杨梅中29种农药残留

建立了基于PRiME HLB通过型固相萃取净化-超高效液相色谱-高分辨质谱法(UPLC-HRMS)快速准确测定杨梅中29种常见农药残留的检测方法。杨梅样品经乙腈涡旋提取、盐析和PRiME HLB固相萃取净化后,以5 mmol/L乙酸铵水溶液和乙腈溶液作为流动相在Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS T₃色谱柱(100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.8 μm)上进行色谱分离,采用正离子电喷雾离子化模式(ESI⁺)和一级全扫描-数据依赖二级质谱扫描模式(Full mass-ddMS²),基质匹配外标法定量分析。该研究首先优化了液相色谱条件,重点考察了Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS T₃色谱柱和Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C₁₈色谱柱对29种农药色谱行为的影响,结果表明Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS T₃色谱柱相比后者具有更强的色谱保留能力;流动相优化结果显示,相比于乙腈-甲酸水溶液体系和乙腈-甲酸-乙酸铵水溶液体系,乙腈-乙酸铵水溶液体系作为流动相时29种农药普遍具有更佳的色谱保留,部分农药的质谱响应有了显著的提高。此外,该研究通过考察3种不同净化方法的基质效应以优化杨梅中29种农药残留检测,实验结果表明,相比于GCB SPE和QuEChERS法两种净化方式,PRiME HLB法对于杨梅提取液具有较好的基质净化能力。在最佳实验条件下,29种农药在1.0~200.0 μg/L范围内呈现良好的线性关系(线性相关系数R²>0.999),方法检出限为2.0 μg/kg;低(6 μg/kg)、中(200 μg/kg)、高(400 μg/kg)3个加标水平下,29种农药的加标回收率为69.2%~135.6%,相对标准偏差为0.7%~14.6%。该方法具有快速、简便、灵敏和准确等优点,适用于理化实验室大批量样品的日常监测。     

A multiresidue method for the determination of 109 pesticides in rice using the Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) sample preparation method and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with temperature control and vacuum concentration

A rapid, specific and sensitive multiresidue method based on the Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) sample preparation method and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection by selected ion monitoring (GC/MS-SIM) has been developed for the routine analysis of 109 pesticides in rice. The method uses one quantification ion and two identification ions. Temperature control during sample preparation helps improve the recovery of thermally labile pesticides such as captan. The method was validated by the analysis of samples spiked at 0.025-0.150 mg/kg in rice matrix. The recoveries of all pesticides were between 80% and 115% with a relative standard deviation of less than 15%. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) for most compounds met the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides in rice in Korea.     

Chromatographic determination of pesticides in soil: Current trends in analysis and sample preparation

Soil is a primary sink and reservoir for pesticides pollution and one of the priority objects in terms of pesticides safety guidelines. Pesticides’ analysis in soil is a field of research which is in constant development facing numerous challenges such as the increasing amount and variety of analytes and their combinations, as well as the increasing demand for faster, simpler, more accurate and multiresidue analysis. This review provides the summary of studies on pesticides analysis in soil based on chromatography-coupled methods published between 2015 and 2022. We discuss the shift toward faster, greener, and simpler alternatives to conventional techniques, application of sample preparation and detection methods to targeted and untargeted pesticide analysis, as well as the developments in stereoselective determination of chiral pesticides. The sample preparation methods such as solid-phase extraction, dispersive solid-phase extraction, and derived methods, as well as the recent trends and developments in chromatographic separation of pesticides are covered in this review. For sample preparation, the QuEChERS method is replacing other techniques and has proved to be efficient in both screening and accurate quantification in multiresidue analysis. Shift towards minimal sample preparation is supported by a wider application of highly sensitive and selective separation and detection systems such as LC-MS/MS. The features of different methods of sample preparation and detection are discussed with focus on optimal parameters, advantages, and drawbacks. The optimal parameters of sample preparation methods were summarized based on respective publications, which makes the review a useful tool for method development and further investigations.