High-performance organized media-enhanced spectrofluorimetric determination of pirimiphos-methyl in maize

A micellar-enhanced fluorescence photoinduced four-way calibration method for the determination of multiclass pesticides in lemon juice

In this work, a four-way multivariate calibration method for the simultaneous determination of four pesticides - carbendazim (CBZ), thiabendazole (TBZ), pirimiphos-methyl (PMM), and clothianidin (CLT) - in lemon juice is presented. Third-order data were acquired by registering the photoinduced fluorescence of the analytes as excitation-emission matrices at different times of UV-light irradiation, in the presence of organized media (direct micelles) as fluorescence enhancers. The optimal experimental conditions (pH 11.5 and 32 mmol L-1 hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride surfactant) were determined through a central composite design using the response surface methodology. The analytes were individually calibrated, except for TBZ and CBZ due to the inner filter effect of TBZ on CBZ. Test samples containing all analytes and imidacloprid (as potential interference) were analysed. PARAFAC was utilized to evaluate both the trilinearity and quadrilinearity of the third-order data and four-way arrays, respectively. PMM was successfully determined with quadrilinear PARAFAC decomposition, whereas CLT, TBZ, and CBZ were satisfactorily modelled using U-PLS/RTL due to the loss of quadrilinearity caused by different phenomena. The profitable applicability of the analytical method in the CBZ, TBZ, PMM, and CLT determination in lemon juice samples was demonstrated, achieving limits of detection below the maximum residue levels reported by the European Commission, and mean recoveries at 90 ± 5%.

Soy, Rice and Oat Drinks: Investigating Chemical and Biological Safety in Plant-Based Milk Alternatives

During the last decades, plant-based milk has become very appreciated by consumers, becoming a staple ingredient, especially for alternative breakfasts. Milk contains lactose, which is a sugar hydrolysed by the lactase enzyme. Lactose intolerance and lactose malabsorption are very common food intolerances among individuals. However, a lot of consumers consider themselves as lactose intolerant on the basis of self-reported intolerance and start to avoid dairy products, ignoring that plant-based milk alternatives are not nutritionally comparable to animal milk, especially in terms of protein intake. The aim of this study is to grow folder knowledge of the security of plant-based drinks, helping competent authorities to issue a risk assessment and to apply national plans about consumer safety. Results show that proper sanitary practices, such as pasteurization, are necessary in plant-based milk alternatives as well as in dairy milk. Chemical analysis has highlighted that there are no pesticide risks for consumers.

Analytical methods to analyze pesticides and herbicides

This paper reviews studies published in 2019, in the area of analytical techniques for determination of pesticides and herbicides. It should be noted that some of the reports summarized in this review are not directly related to but could potentially be used for water environment studies. Based on different methods, the literatures are organized into six sections, namely extraction methods, electrochemical techniques, spectrophotometric techniques, chemiluminescence and fluorescence methods, chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques, and biochemical assays. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Totally 141 research articles have been summarized. The review is divided into six parts. Chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques are the most widely used methods.