An analytical methodology for screening and confirming the presence of 301 pesticides in vegetable samples was developed using the Agilent G6410A Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QQQ). Of the 301 compounds, 90% could be identified using this procedure with a limit of detection (LOD) in vegetable matrices of 0.01 mg/kg (ppm) or below, which is the level for baby food and banned substances and is the maximum residue level (MRL) used by the European Union. The analytical performance of the method was evaluated for different types of vegetables (tomato and green pepper), showing little or no matrix effects. Linearity of response over 2 orders of magnitude was demonstrated (r2 > 0.99). The authors of this document are E. Michael Thurman and Imma Ferrer from the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering Center for Environmental Mass Spectrometry at the University of Colorado and Jerry A. Zweigenbaum from Agilent Technologies Inc.
The document details an analytical methodology developed to screen and confirm the presence of 301 pesticides in vegetable samples. The study utilizes the Agilent G6410A Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer combined with specific LC conditions, achieving a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.01 mg/kg or below for 90% of the compounds tested.
| Column | Agilent SB-C-18, 4.6 mm x 150 mm, 1.8 ym |
|---|---|
| Column temperature | 25 °C |
| Mobile phase | 10% ACN and 90% H20 with 0.1% HCOOH |
| Flow-rate | 0.6 mL/min |
| Injection volume | 10 pL |
| Mode | Positive ESI using the Agilent G6410AA Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer |
| Nebulizer pressure | 40 psig |
| Drying gas flow | 9 L/min |
| V capillary voltage | 4000 V |
| Drying gas temp | 350 °C |
The methodology was developed to screen and confirm the presence of 301 pesticides.
90% of the compounds could be identified with a limit of detection of 0.01 mg/kg or below.
The analytical performance was evaluated using tomato and green pepper samples.