A sensitive and efficient method for routine pesticide multiresidue analysis in bee pollen samples using gas and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

Several clean-up methods were evaluated for 253 pesticides in pollen samples concentrating on efficient clean-up and the highest number of pesticides satisfying the recovery and precision criteria. These were: (a) modified QuEChERS using dSPE with PSA+C18; (b) freeze-out prior to QuEChERS using dSPE with PSA+C18; (c) freeze-out prior to QuEChERS using dSPE with PSA+C18+Z-Sep; and (d) freeze-out followed by QuEChERS using dSPE with PSA+C18 and SPE with Z-Sep. Determinations were made using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS. The modified QuEChERS protocol applying a freeze-out followed by dSPE with PSA+C18 and SPE clean-up with Z-Sep was selected because it provided the highest number of pesticides with mean recoveries in the 70-120% range, as well as relative standard deviations (RSDs) typically below 20% (12.2% on average) and ensured much better removal of co-extracted matrix compounds of paramount importance in routine analysis. Limits of quantification at levels as low as 5µgkg(-1) were obtained for the majority of the pesticides. The proposed methodology was applied to the analysis of 41 pollen bee samples from different areas in Spain. Pesticides considered potentially toxic to bees (DL50<2µg/bee) were detected in some samples with concentrations up to 72.7µgkg(-1), which could negatively affect honeybee health.

Comparison of two ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction approaches for the determination of benzoylurea insecticides in wastewater using liquid chromatography-quadrupole-linear ion trap-mass spectrometry: evaluation of green parameters.

Two dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) approaches including temperature-controlled ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (TCIL-DLLME) and ultrasound-assisted ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (US-IL-DLLME) were compared for the extraction of six benzoylurea insecticides (diflubenzuron, triflumuron, hexaflumuron, teflubenzuron, lufenuron and flufenoxuron) from wastewater samples prior to their determination by high-performance liquid chromatography with a hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap-mass spectrometer (LC-QqLIT-MS/MS). Influential parameters affecting extraction efficiency were systematically studied and optimized and the most significant green parameters were quantified and compared. The best results were obtained using the US-IL-DLLME procedure, which employed the IL 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C8MIM][PF6]) and methanol (MeOH) as extraction and disperser solvent, respectively. US-IL-DLLME procedure was fast, easy, low environmental toxicity and, it was also able to successfully extract all selected benzoylureas. This method was extensively validated with satisfactory results: limits of detection and quantification were in the range 0.5-1.0 ng L(-1) and 1.5-3.5 ng L(-1), respectively, whereas recovery rates ranged from 89 to 103% and the relative standard deviations were lower than 13.4%. The applicability of the method was assessed with the analysis of effluent wastewater samples from a wastewater treatment plant located in an agricultural zone of Almería (Spain) and the results indicated the presence of teflubenzuron at mean concentration levels of 11.3 ng L(-1). US-IL-DLLME sample treatment in combination with LC-QqLIT-MS/MS has demonstrated to be a sensitive, selective and efficient method to determine benzoylurea insecticides in wastewaters at ultra-trace levels.

Determination of eight fluoroquinolones in groundwater samples with ultrasound-assisted ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction prior to high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection.

An ultrasound-assisted ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (US-IL-DLLME) procedure was developed for the extraction of eight fluoroquinolones (marbofloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, lomefloxacin, danofloxacin, enrofloxacin, oxolinic acid and nalidixic acid) in groundwater, using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FD). The ultrasound-assisted process was applied to accelerate the formation of the fine cloudy solution using a small volume of disperser solvent (0.4 mL of methanol), which increased the extraction efficiency and reduced the equilibrium time. For the DLLME procedure, the IL 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C(8)MIM] [PF(6)]) and methanol (MeOH) were used as extraction and disperser solvent, respectively. By comparing [C(8)MIM] [PF(6)] with 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C(6)MIM] [PF(6)]) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C(4)MIM] [PF(6)]) as extraction solvents, it was observed that when using [C(8)MIM] [PF(6)] the cloudy solution was formed more readily than when using [C(6)MIM] [PF(6)] or [C(4)MIM] [PF(6)]. The factors affecting the extraction efficiency, such as the type and volume of ionic liquid, type and volume of disperser solvent, cooling in ice-water, sonication time, centrifuging time, sample pH and ionic strength, were optimised. A slight increase in the recoveries of fluoroquinolones was observed when an ice-water bath extraction step was included in the analytical procedure (85-107%) compared to those obtained without this step (83-96%). Under the optimum conditions, linearity of the method was observed over the range 10-300 ng L(-1) with correlation coefficient >0.9981. The proposed method has been found to have excellent sensitivity with limit of detection between 0.8 and 13 ng L(-1) and precision with relative standard deviation values between 4.8 and 9.4% (RSD, n=5). Good enrichment factors (122-205) and recoveries (85-107%) were obtained for the extraction of the target analytes in groundwater samples. This simple and economic method has been successfully applied to analyse real groundwater samples with satisfactory results.

Application of solid-phase microextraction for determination of pyrethroids in groundwater using liquid chromatography with post-column photochemically induced fluorimetry derivatization and fluorescence detection.

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a rapid and simple analytical technique which uses coated fused-silica fibers to extract analytes from aqueous samples. This study develops a method of SPME analysis for seven pyrethroids, including fenpropathrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, deltamethrin, fenvalerate, permethrin, tau-fluvalinate and bifenthrin in groundwater samples using high performance liquid chromatography combined with post-column photochemically induced fluorimetry derivatization and fluorescence detection (SPME-LC-PIF-FD). To perform the SPME, a 60 microm polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fiber was used for the extraction of the pesticides from groundwater samples. The main factors affecting the SPME process, such as extraction time, stirring rate, extraction temperature, pH and the desorption process were studied. The use of photochemically induced fluorescence for detection improved sensitivity and selectivity. The limits of quantification (LOQs) obtained in the matrix, with respect to EURACHEM Guidance, varied between 0.03 and 0.075 microgL(-1). Relative recoveries ranged from 92 to 109% and relative standard deviations values ranged from 2 to 9%.

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the determination of pyrethroids in cucumber and watermelon using liquid chromatography combined with post-column photochemically induced fluorimetry derivatization and fluorescence detection.

A sensitive and efficient solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method for the determination of seven pyrethroid insecticides including fenpropathrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, deltamethrin, fenvalerate, permethrin, tau-fluvalinate and bifenthrin in cucumber and watermelon samples using high performance liquid chromatography combined with post-column photochemically induced fluorimetry derivatization and fluorescence detection (SPME-HPLC-PIF-FD) was developed and validated. The optimum SPME conditions were used for the extraction of samples of both matrices (extraction time 30 min, stirring rate 1100 rpm, extraction temperature 65 degrees C, sample pH 3, soaking time 7 min, desorption time 5 min, ACN content 25%, desorption and soaking solvent was the mobile phase and in static mode). The method was validated in terms of limits of detection (LODs) and the limits of quantification (LOQs) in both IUPAC and EURACHEM criteria. LODs and LOQs were achieved in values lower than the maximum residue levels (MRLs) established in the Spanish regulations for all pesticides in this study (MRLs range between 0.01 and 0.1 mg kg(-1) for all pyrethroid insecticides in both matrices). LOQs according to the second criterion were between 1.5 and 5 microg kg(-1) for cucumber; and between 1.3 and 5 microg kg(-1) for watermelon samples. Precision and recovery studies were evaluated at two concentration levels for each matrix. Good precision was obtained and relative standard deviation values were less than 10% in all cases. Recovery values were calculated at 0.05 and 0.5 mg kg(-1) levels (n=6) and they ranged between 93% and 108% for cucumber and between 91% and 110% for watermelon samples. Applicability of the method to pyrethroids in cucumber and watermelon of commercial samples was demonstrated.