A SPME-GC-MS approach for antivarroa and pesticide residues analysis in honey

One-step green synthesis of β-cyclodextrin/iron oxide-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite with high supramolecular recognition capability: Application for vortex-assisted magnetic solid phase extraction of organochlorine pesticides residue from honey samples

In this research, β-cyclodextrin/iron oxide reduced graphene oxide hybrid nanostructure (β-CD/MRGO) with high water dispersability, excellent magnetic responsivity and molecular selectivity was prepared via a facile one step green strategy. The obtained nanomaterial was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), which confirmed the modification of GO with β-CD and magnetic nanoparticles. The formation mechanism of β-CD/MRGO was also discussed. The prepared magnetic nanocomposite was then applied as adsorbent in the vortex-assisted magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) of 16 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from honey samples prior to gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) analysis. Optimum extraction conditions have been assessed with respect to vortex time, sample pH, adsorbent amount, and salt concentration as well as desorption conditions (type and volume of desorption solvent and desorption time). A good level of linearity (2-10,000ngkg^-1) with satisfactory determination coefficients (R²>0.9966) and suitable precision (%RSDs less than 7.8) was obtained for OCPs under the optimal conditions. The limits of detection and quantification of the method were obtained in the sub-parts per trillion (ppt) to parts per trillion range (LOD: 0.52-3.21ngkg^-1; LOQ: 1.73-10.72ngkg^-1) based on 3 and 10 signal to noise ratios, respectively. The MSPE method was successfully applied to analysis of OCPs in honey samples with recoveries in the range of 78.8% to 116.2% and RSDs (n=3) below 8.1%. The results demonstrated that β-CD/MRGO could exhibit good supramolecular recognition, enrichment capability and high extraction recoveries toward OCPs.

Determination of some organochlorine pesticide residues in honeys from Konya, Turkey

In this study, 24 organochlorine pesticide residues in 109 different honey samples collected from stores and open markets in Konya, Turkey were analyzed by gas chromatography-electron capture detection. Aldrin, cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane, oxy-chlordane, 2,4(')-DDE, and 4,4(')-DDE were found in all honey samples. The mean value was 0.0540 microg g(-1) for oxy-chlordane. In the 55 samples of 109, levels of organochlorine pesticide residues of oxy-chlordane were determined as higher than those of Turkish Alimentarius Codex maximum residual limits (MRLs). Other organochlorine pesticide residues also exceeded MRLs except for cis-heptachlor epoxide and alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane. Since all of the honey samples are found contaminated and most of these samples exceeded MRLs, a control of organochlorine pesticide residues in honey is necessary for consumer health.

Solid-phase microextraction-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry applied to the analysis of insecticides in honey

An approach based on solid-phase microextraction-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-LC-MS) has been developed for determining 12 insecticides (bromophos ethyl, chlorpyrifos methyl, chlorpyrifos ethyl, diazinon, fenoxycarb, fonofos, phenthoate, phosalone, pirimiphos methyl, profenofos, pyrazophos, and temephos) in honey. The influence of several parameters on the efficiency of the SPME was systematically investigated. Under optimal conditions, the procedure provided excellent linearity (>0.990), detection and quantification limits (between 0.001 and 0.1 microg g(-1) and between 0.005 and 0.5 microg g(-1), respectively), and precision (<19% at the quantification limits and from 6 to 14% at ten times higher concentrations). However, recoveries were not so good, ranging from 19 to 92%. Honey samples were found that were contaminated with bromophos ethyl, diazinon, fonofos, pirimiphos ethyl, pyrazophos, and temephos at estimated concentrations from 6.2 +/- 1.2 to 19 +/- 3 ng g(-1).

Analysis of pesticides in honey by solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

An analytical method for the simultaneous determination of 51 pesticides in commercial honeys was developed. Honey (10 g) was dissolved in water/methanol (70:30; 10 mL) and transferred to a C(18) column (1 g) preconditioned with acetonitrile and water. Pesticides were subsequently eluted with a hexane/ethyl acetate mixture (50:50) and determined by gas chromatography with electron impact mass spectrometric detection in the selected ion monitoring mode (GC-MS-SIM). Spiked blank samples were used as standards to counteract the matrix effect observed in the chromatographic determination. Pesticides were confirmed by their retention times, their qualifier and target ions, and their qualifier/target abundance ratios. Recovery studies were performed at 0.1, 0.05, and 0.025 microg/g fortification levels for each pesticide, and the recoveries obtained were >86% with relative standard deviations of <10%. Good resolution of the pesticide mixture was achieved in approximately 41 min. The detection limits of the method ranged from 0.1 to 6.1 microg/kg for the different pesticides studied. The developed method is linear over the range assayed, 25-200 microg/L, with determination coefficients of >0.996. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of pesticides in honey samples, and low levels of a few pesticides (dichlofluanid, ethalfluralin, and triallate) were detected in some samples.

Comparison of solid-phase microextraction and stir bar sorptive extraction for determining six organophosphorus insecticides in honey by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

Two approaches based on sorptive extraction, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), in combination with liquid chromatography (LC)-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (MS) have been assayed for analyzing chlorpyriphos methyl, diazinon, fonofos, phenthoate, phosalone, and pirimiphos ethyl in honey. In both, SPME and SBSE, enrichment was performed using a poly(dimethylsiloxane) coating. Significant parameters affecting sorption process such as sample volume, sorption and desorption times, ionic strength, elution solvent, and dilution (water/honey) proportion were optimized and discussed. Performance of both methods has been compared through the determination of linearity, extraction efficiencies, and limits of quantification. Relative standard deviations for the studied compounds were from 3 to 10% by SPME and from 5 to 9% by SBSE. Both methods were linear in a range of at least two orders of magnitude, and the limits of quantification reached ranging from 0.04 to 0.4 mg kg(-1) by SBSE, and from 0.8 to 2 mg kg(-1) by SPME. The two procedures were applied for analyzing 15 commercial honeys of different botanical origin. SPME and SBSE in combination with LC-MS enabled a rapid and simple determination of organophosphorus pesticides in honey. SBSE showed higher concentration capability (large quantities of sample can be handled) and greater accuracy (between 5 and 20 times) and sensitivity (between 10 and 50 times) than SPME: thus, under equal conditions, SBSE is the recommended technique for pesticide analysis in honey.

Recent advances in the application of mass spectrometry in food-related analysis

A review is presented on recent applications of mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques for the analysis of compounds of food concern. Substances discussed are naturally occurring compounds in food products such as lipids, oligosaccharides, proteins, vitamins, flavonoids and related substances, phenolic compounds and aroma compounds. Among xenobiotics, applications of MS techniques for the analysis of pesticides, drug residues, toxins, amines and migrants from packaging are overviewed. Advances in the analysis of trace metals of nutritional and toxicological interest by MS with inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source are presented. The main features of mass spectrometry combined with separation instruments are discussed in food-related analysis. Examples of mass spectrometry and tandem MS (MS-MS) are provided. The development and application of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and electrospray (ESI) to the analysis of peptides and proteins in food is discussed. This survey will attempt to cover the state-of-the-art up from 1999 to 2001.