Simple multiresidue extraction method for the determination of fungicides and plant growth regulator in bean sprouts using low temperature partitioning and tandem mass spectrometry.

A simple multiresidue analytical method is developed for the simultaneous determination of carbendazim (CB), thiabendazole (TB), and 6-benzyl aminopurine (6-BA) in bean sprouts. The samples were extracted with acetonitrile followed by partitioning at -80°C for 5-10 min. A YMC C(8) column was used to separate the analytes before being qualitatively and quantitatively determined by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) in positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The matrix-matched calibration curves showed good linearity in the range 0.01-1.0 mg/kg with correlation coefficients in excess of 0.998. The mean recoveries were in the range of 80.4-96.3% at 0.1 and 0.5 spiked levels, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were in the range of 0.5-7.6%. The limits of quantifications (LOQ) were in the range of 0.005-0.01 mg/kg. The method was successfully applied to 90 samples (among which 45 were organic) collected from a commercial bean sprout production house throughout the city. Except for 6-BA, the rest of the analytes had values lower than their LOQs. In sum, carbendazim, thiabendazole, and 6-BA were extracted in a single step, and no steps for clean-up or concentration of the extracts were needed. The current method can be used for sensitive and accurate determination and confirmation of residues in bean sprout samples.

Effectiveness of pressurized liquid extraction and solvent extraction for the simultaneous quantification of 14 pesticide residues in green tea using GC.

A simultaneous multiresidue method to determine 14 different pesticides, namely: flufenoxuron, fenitrothion, chlorfluazuron, chlorpyrifos, hexythiazox, methidathion, chlorfenapyr, tebuconazole, EPN, bifenthrin, cyhalothrin, spirodiclofen, difenoconazole, and azoxystrobin in green tea using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) is described and compared with that of liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). For PLE, the extraction conditions were not optimized. Rather they were selected based upon previous successful investigations published by our laboratory. Analysis was performed by GC with electron capture detector (GC-ECD), and the pesticide identity of the positive samples was confirmed by GC-MS in a selected ion-monitoring (SIM) mode. Calibration curves showed an excellent linearity for concentrations ranging from 0.006 to 36.049 ppm, with r(2) >0.995. Green tea spiked at each of the two fortification levels, yielded average recoveries in the range of 87-112% and 71-109% for PLE and LLE, respectively. Precision values, expressed as RSDs, were below 6% at various spiking levels. With respect to the existing procedures, both methods gave LOQs that were lower than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). Both methods have been successfully applied to the analysis of real samples, and bifenthrin was the only pesticide residue quantified in incurred green tea samples, with concentrations ranging from 0.093 ppm (LLE) to 0.1 ppm (PLE). These concentration levels were relatively low compared to KFDA-MRL (0.3 ppm). According to the validation data and performance characteristics, both methods are appropriate for multiresidue analysis of pesticide residues in green tea. PLE methodology showed superiority in recoveries of some pesticides, acceptable accuracy and precision while minimizing environmental concerns, time, and labor, and can be applied in routine analytical laboratories.