Solid-phase microextraction of benzimidazole fungicides in environmental liquid samples and HPLC–fluorescence determination

Rapid and specific detection of thiabendazole: enzymatic digestion-enabled fluorescent aptasensor

Thiabendazole, a widely used broad-spectrum fungicide in agriculture, poses risks to human health. To monitor its presence in water, we propose a fluorescent aptasensor utilizing Escherichia coli exonuclease I (Exo I). The findings demonstrate a linear correlation between thiabendazole concentrations and digestion percentage, with a detection limit (LOD) exceeding 1 µM and a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.959. This aptamer-based fluorescence spectroscopy detection system holds promise for a rapid, specific, and sensitive analysis of thiabendazole in environmental waters and food matrices.

Review of Characteristics and Analytical Methods for Determination of Thiabendazole

Thiabendazole (TBZ) is a fungicide and anthelmintic drug commonly found in food products. Due to its toxicity and potential carcinogenicity, its determination in various samples is important for public health. Different analytical methods can be used to determine the presence and concentration of TBZ in samples. Liquid chromatography (LC) and its subtypes, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), are the most commonly used methods for TBZ determination representing 19%, 18%, and 18% of the described methods, respectively. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and fluorimetry are two more methods widely used for TBZ determination, representing 13% and 12% of the described methods, respectively. In this review, a number of methods for TBZ determination are described, but due to their limitations, there is a high potential for the further improvement and development of each method in order to obtain a simple, precise, and accurate method that can be used for routine analysis.

A simple co-precipitation sorbent-based preconcentration method for the analysis of fungicides in water and juice samples by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection

A magnesium hydroxide co-precipitation sorbent-based method in the presence of an anionic surfactant (e.g., sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate) and high-performance liquid chromatography were used to preconcentrate and analyze fungicides in water and apple juice samples. The preconcentration procedure can be accomplished in a single step based on the co-precipitation of target fungicides and magnesium chloride in the presence of surfactant in a sodium hydroxide solution (pH 11) and a white precipitate gel was simply obtained after centrifugation. The property of precipitate phase was subsequently characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffractometry. Under the optimum conditions, the developed method exhibited good sensitivity, with an enrichment factor of 11–18 and limits of detection of approximately 1–5 μg/L for water samples and 7–10 μg/L for apple juices. High reproducibility was achieved with a relative standard deviation of less than 11%, and a good recovery range of 72% to 120% was also obtained. The proposed method was shown to be a simple preconcentration procedure for concentrating fungicides in the samples investigated.

Matrix solid-phase dispersion based on cucurbit[7]uril-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography for the determination of benzimidazole fungicides from vegetables

A new method involving matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) was optimized with the aid of stoichiometry and applied to the extraction, purification, and determination of benzimidazole residues in vegetables. Carbendazim, thiabendazole, and thiophanate-methyl were selectively extracted from vegetables using cucurbit[7]uril as the MSPD extractant and transferred to an aqueous solution, then further enriched using DLLME with acetonitrile and chloroform as dispersive and extraction solvents, respectively. The optimal extraction conditions of MSPD and DLLME were selected by two-level full-factorial design and central-composite design (CCD). The developed method (MSPD-DLLME-HPLC-UV) showed good linearity in the range of 0.025-5 μg/g, with R² > 0.9984. Intra- and interday precisions were 5.3-10.9% and 10.6-12.4%, respectively, and the limit of detection was between 0.004 and 0.007 μg/g of fresh weight. This method was applied to the analysis of four different types of vegetables, and the recoveries ranged from 65.4% to 124.0%. The method was environmentally friendly, easy to operate, and sensitive.

A magnetic solid phase extraction based on UiO-67@GO@Fe3O4 coupled with UPLC-MS/MS for the determination of nitroimidazoles and benzimidazoles in honey

A novel composite material consisting of zirconiumbiphenyldicarboxylate metal-organic framework, graphite oxide and ferroferric oxide was fabricated by a facile one-step method and served as a magnetic solid phase extraction sorbent for the simultaneous determination of nitroimidazoles and benzimidazoles in honey. The amount of graphite oxide for the synthesis of composite material and analysis parameters were optimized. The optimum parameters were: dipotassium hydrogen phosphate buffer solution (pH 6) as diluent solvent, adsorption time 10 min, desorption time 5 min, methanol/acetonitrile (1:1, V/V) as desorption solvent. The targets were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The recoveries of twelve analytes ranged in 70.5%-103.4% with relative standard deviations lower than 12.9% (n = 3). The quantification limits were 0.2-0.6 μg/kg. Using the composite material as sorbent, a simple, rapid and environmental-friendly method based on magnetic solid phase extraction was successfully developed for determination of seven nitroimidazoles and five benzimidazoles in honey.

Recent advances of nanomaterial-based optical sensor for the detection of benzimidazole fungicides in food: a review

The abuse of pesticides in agricultural land during pre- and post-harvest causes an increase of residue in agricultural products and pollution in the environment, which ultimately affects human health. Hence, it is crucially important to develop an effective detection method to quantify the trace amount of residue in food and water. However, with the rapid development of nanotechnology and considering the exclusive properties of nanomaterials, optical, and their integrated system have gained exclusive interest for accurately sensing of pesticides in food and agricultural samples to ensure food safety thanks to their unique benefit of high sensitivity, low detection limit, good selectivity and so on and making them a trending hotspot. This review focuses on recent progress in the past five years on nanomaterial-based optical, such as colorimetric, fluorescence, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and their integrated system for the monitoring of benzimidazole fungicide (including, carbendazim, thiabendazole, and thiophanate-methyl) residue in food and water samples. This review firstly provides a brief introduction to mentioned techniques, detection mechanism, applied nanomaterials, label-free detection, target-specific detection, etc. then their specific application. Finally, challenges and perspectives in the respective field are discussed.

Thiol-Yne Click Postsynthesis of a Sulfonate Group-Enriched Magnetic Microporous Organic Network for Efficient Extraction of Benzimidazole Fungicides

The lack of functional groups or binding sites largely hindered the broad application of microporous organic networks (MONs). Herein, we report the fabrication of the sulfonate group-enriched magnetic MON composite (MMON-SO₃H@SO₃Na) via the combination of the sulfonic acid group containing the monomer and thiol-yne click postmodification for efficient magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of benzimidazole fungicides (BZDs) from complex sample matrices. The well-defined core-shell-structured MMON-SO₃H@SO₃Na was obtained and served as an advanced adsorbent for MSPE for concentrating and monitoring trace BZDs. The MMON-SO₃H@SO₃Na with numerous sulfonate groups provides plenty of ion-exchange, hydrogen-bonding, and π-π sites, leading to the favorable affinity to BZDs via multiple interaction mechanisms. The MMON-SO₃H@SO₃Na-based MSPE-high-performance liquid chromatography method afforded a wide linear range, low limits of detection, large enrichment factors, good precisions, and reusability for BZDs. Trace BZDs in complex vegetables and fruit samples were successfully detected by the established method. The MMON-SO₃H@SO₃Na also exhibited good selectivity toward multiple types of polar contaminants containing hydrogen-bonding sites and aromatic structures. This work provided a new postsynthesis strategy for constructing novel and multifunctioned magnetic MONs for preconcentration of trace analytes in a complex matrix.

[Determination of thiabendazole in the conditions of chemical and toxicological analysis of biomaterial]

OBJECTIVE

Is to study the features and to develop the methods for the determination of thiabendazole in the tissues of cadaveric organs and blood. When performing the experiments the methods of TLC, GC-MS and spectrophotometry were used. The advantages were substantiated and the optimal conditions for the release of thiabendazole from the tissues of organs and blood with acetone were determined. A variant of purification of the substance extracted from biomatrixes by the method of column chromatography of normal pressure (sorbent L 40/100 μm, mobile phase acetone-dichloromethane (9.5: 0.5)) is proposed. To identify the analyte by TLC the Sorbfil plates were used and a toluene-acetonitrile mobile phase (2:8). When identifying thiabendazole by a combination of gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (fragmentation of molecules by electron impact 70 eV) an HP-5MS column 30 m × 0.25 mm with a non-polar stationary phase (5% -phenyl) -methylpolysiloxane was proposed. The expediency of the spectrophotometric determination of thiabendazole on the basis of absorption in an acetonitrile medium has been shown. Methods for the determination of thiabendazole in tissues of organs and blood have been developed and validated. It is shown that the techniques meet the requirements of linearity, selectivity, correctness, precision and stability. The limits of detection of thiabendazole in the liver and blood are 0.14 and 0.10 mg, respectively; the limits of quantitative determination are 0.26 and 0.18 mg per 100 g of biomatrix.

Pretreatment and determination methods for benzimidazoles: An update since 2005

Benzimidazoles, commonly used as pesticides and veterinary drugs, have posed a threat to human health and the environment due to unreasonable use and lack of valid regulation. Therefore, an up-to-date and comprehensive summary of the pretreatment and analytical approaches in different substrates is urgently needed. The present review consequently updates and covers various newly developed pretreatment methods (e.g., cationic micellar precipitation, magnetic-solid phase extraction, hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction, disperse liquid-liquid microextraction-solidified floating organic drop, stir cake sorptive extraction, solid phase microextraction method, QuEChERS, and molecular imprinted polymer-based methods) since 2005. The review also elaborates and discusses different determination methods (e.g., newly developed HPLC and related methods, improved spectrofluorimetry methods, capillary electrophoresis, and the electrochemical sensor). Furthermore, some critical points and prospects are highlighted, to describe the trends in this area.

Fluorometer for Screening of Doxorubicin in Perfusate Solution and Tissue with Solid-Phase Microextraction Chemical Biopsy Sampling

The recent development of an in vivo solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method capable of analyzing drugs and metabolic products in biofluids and living tissues holds great promise. The standard in vivo SPME protocol based on mass spectrometry is a very powerful analytical approach, but it is not practical for on-site analysis in many cases. In this paper, we present a fluorescence-based SPME method and a prototype of a portable fluorometer that is capable of quickly quantifying concentrations of the anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX). The instrument uses thin coated, biocompatible SPME fibers, which we have previously presented as a chemical biopsy tool for use during in vivo lung perfusion (IVLP) procedures within a hospital setting. In this research, we test SPME fibers with C8-SCX, C18, and HLB coatings with our fluorometer. The mixed-mode C8-SCX fibers showed the best sensitivity of the three and were therefore used to examine DOX extraction from perfusate solution and a homogenized lamb lung tissue. The maximum concentration of free active sites in the C8-SCX fiber and the adsorption equilibrium constant were determined to be (9.1 ± 0.3) × 10^-7 mol m^-2 and 420 ± 30 m³ mol^-1, respectively. Finally, the detection limits for DOX extracted from buffer, perfusate, and lung tissue were 40, 100, and 3700 μg L^-1, respectively.

A Review of Portable High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: the Future of the Field?

There is a growing need for chemical analyses to be performed in the field, at the point of need. Tools and techniques often found in analytical chemistry laboratories are necessary in performing these analyses, yet have, historically, been unable to do so owing to their size, cost and complexity. Technical advances in miniaturisation and liquid chromatography are enabling the translation of these techniques out of the laboratory, and into the field. Here we examine the advances that are enabling portable liquid chromatography (LC). We explore the evolution of portable instrumentation from its inception to the most recent advances, highlighting the trends in the field and discussing the necessary criteria for developing in-field solutions. While instrumentation is becoming more capable it has yet to find adoption outside of research.

Photodegradation of multiclass fungicides in the aquatic environment and determination by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

The photodegradation behaviour for nine widespread fungicides (benalaxyl, cyprodinil, dimethomorph, fenhexamide, iprovalicarb, kresoxim-methyl, metalaxyl, myclobutanil and tebuconazole) was evaluated in different types of water. Two different systems, direct UV photolysis and UVC/H₂O₂ advanced oxidation process (AOP), were applied for the photodegradation tests. For the monitoring of the target compound degradation, a method based on direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed. Several fungicide photodegradation by-products were tentatively identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) as well. For the photolysis studies, the efficiency of different types of radiation, UVC (λ = 254 nm) and UVA (λ = 365 nm), was compared. UVC photolysis provided the highest removal with a complete degradation for fenhexamide and kresoxim-methyl, and percentages between 48 and 78% for the other compounds, excluding iprovalicarb and myclobutanil with removals <35%, after 30 min of irradiation. Besides, the photodegradation tests were performed with different initial concentrations of fungicides, and the efficiency of two photoreactor systems was compared. In all cases, the kinetics followed pseudo-first order, and the half-life times could also be calculated. The addition of H₂O₂ under UVC light allowed an improvement of the reaction kinetics, especially for the most recalcitrant fungicides, obtaining in all cases removals higher than 82% in less than 6 min. Finally, in order to evaluate the suitability of the proposed systems, both UVC photolysis and UVC/H₂O₂ system were tested in different real water matrices (wastewater, tap water, swimming pool water and river water), showing that the UVC/H₂O₂ system had the highest removal efficiency in less than 6 min, for all water samples.

Square Wave Voltammetric Determination of Residues of Carbendazim Using a Fullerene/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes/Nafion®/Coated Glassy Carbon Electrode

A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with a fullerene/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs)/Nafion composite and applied to the determination of carbendazim, a fungicide. The voltammetric behavior of the analyte was investigated using Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), on the bare GCE and on the same electrode coated by a thin film of the composite material. The electrode response was more than fourfold important on the modified electrode, due to electrical conductivity of fullerene and MWCNT and to favorable electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged Nafion and the protonated fungicide. A sensitive electroanalytical procedure based on Square Wave Voltammetry (SWV) was then developed to detect the analyte. Under the optimum conditions, a linear relationship was obtained between the peak current and the concentration of carbendazim, in the range from 2.0 × 10−8 mol/L to 3.5 × 10−7 mol/L, leading to a detection limit of 1.7 × 10−8 mol/L and to a quantification limit of 5.57 × 10−8 mol/L. The developed procedure was successfully applied to detect carbendazim upon adsorption by some ferritic soils.

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography method development for simultaneous determination of thiabendazole, carbendazim, and fuberidazole

Thiabendazole (TBz), carbendazim (CBz), and fuberidazole (FBz) are systemic benzimidazole-type fungicides used for pre- and post-harvest treatment to control various types of fungal diseases on a variety of crops. Significant levels of these fungicides could alter the composition or flavour of crops, and being possible carcinogens, they could also pose risks for humans and the environment. A mode of capillary electrophoresis called micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) was investigated for the determination of these three benzimidazole fungicides. The study involved two kinds of surfactants in which several experimental conditions were optimized, i.e., buffer concentration, pH, micelle concentration, and percent organic modifier (methanol). Using the optimum experimental conditions, the fungicides were successfully separated by MEKC. The limits of detection and quantification were in the range of 0.6-0.7 and 2.1-2.5 mg L(-1), respectively, and the calibration curves were linear over the range of 5-60 mg L(-1) for the three fungicides. The potential of the proposed MEKC method was demonstrated by analyzing water samples which were fortified with the fungicides. The proposed method enabled simultaneous determination of the three benzimidazole fungicides and method validation with spiked water samples yielded satisfactory quantitative recoveries for all the three fungicides.

Determination of benzimidazole residues in edible animal food by polymer monolith microextraction combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

A sensitive method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of 10 benzimidazole residues and some of their metabolites in egg, milk, chicken, and pork. This method is based on the combination of polymer monolith microextraction (PMME) technique with liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS). The extraction was performed with a poly(methacrylic acid-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (MAA-co-EGDMA) monolithic capillary column. Under the optimized extraction conditions, good extraction efficiencies for the targets were obtained with no matrix interference in the subsequent detection. The LODs (S/N=3) for 10 benzimidazoles were found to be 0.56-2.76 ng g(-1) in egg, 0.50-1.41 ng mL(-1) in milk, 0.09-0.28 ng g(-1) in chicken, and 0.08-0.15 ng g(-1) in pork. The recoveries in egg, milk, chicken, and pork matrices ranged from 75.2 to 116.8% spiked at different levels with analytes, with RSDs of <13.7%. The method was later successfully applied for the determination of primary and metabolite residues in eggs after oral administration of albendazole to hens.

Practical overview of analytical methods for endocrine-disrupting compounds, pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water and wastewater

The detection of organic micropollutants, such as endocrine-disrupting compounds, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, in wastewater and the aquatic environment has brought increasing concern over their potential adverse ecological and human impacts. These compounds are generally present at trace levels (ng l(-1)) and in complex water matrices, such as wastewaters and surface waters, making their analysis difficult. Currently, no standardized analytical methods are available for the analysis of organic micropollutants in environmental waters. Owing to the diversity of physico-chemical properties exhibited by the various classes of organic micropollutants, the majority of established analytical methods described in the literature focus on a specific class of compounds, with few methods applicable to multi-class compound analysis. As such, analytical challenges and limitations contribute to the lack of understanding of the effectiveness of drinking water and wastewater treatment processes to remove organic micropollutants. This paper provides a practical overview of current analytical methods that have been developed for the analysis of multiple classes of organic micropollutants from various water matrices and describes the challenges and limitations associated with the development of these methods.

HUMANN-based system to identify benzimidazole fungicides using multi-synchronous fluorescence spectra: an ensemble approach

In this paper, we approach, using neural computation and ensemble systems, a pattern classification problem in fluorescence spectrometry, the resolution of difficult multi-fungicide mixtures (overlapping), specifically the benzimidazole fungicides, benomyl, carbendazim, thiabendazole and fuberidazole. These fungicides are compounds of an important environmental interest. Because of this, from an analytical point of view, it is interesting to develop sensitive, selective and simple methods for their determination. Fluorescence spectrometry has proven to be a sensitive and selective technique for determination of many compounds of environmental interest, but in some cases it is not enough. HUMANN is a hierarchical, unsupervised, modular, adaptive neural net with high biological plausibility, which has shown to be suitable for identification of these fungicides and organochlorinated compounds of environmental interest. We propose two modular artificial intelligent systems, with a structure of pre-processing and processing stage, a multi-input HUMANN-based system, using multi-fluorescence spectra as input to the system, and a HUMANN-ensemble system. We analyze the optimal configuration of inputs and the ensemble in order to obtain better results. We study such figures as precision and sensitivity of the method. Our proposal is a smart, flexible and effective complementary method, which allows reducing the analytical and/or computational complexity of the analysis.