Determination of residues of synthetic pyrethroids in fruit and vegetables by gas - liquid and high-performance liquid chromatography

Determination of pyrethroid residues in tobacco by means of solid phase microextraction and GC/MS with the aid of ultrasonic assisted extraction using water as extracting solvent

A rapid and simple sampling approach using solid phase microextraction (SPME) for pyrethroid residues analysis in flue-cured tobacco was studied. The fibers coated with poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) at 100 microm thickness were chosen. Extraction time of 180 s, desorption time of 120 s and desorption temperature of 280 degrees C were selected. The whole sampling process, only including an ultrasonic assisted extraction step and a solid phase microextraction step, can be completed within 15 min. The associated SPME and ultrasonic assisted extraction using water as extracting solvent shows good results for tobacco pyrethroid residues determination. Results indicated that four pyrethroids can be determined simultaneously, and the limits of detection are below 35 ng g(-1) using GC/MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The reproducibility of the technique is found to be better than 11.8% RSD.

Assessment of pesticide residues in two arable soils from the semi-arid and subtropical regions of China

The residues of 31 chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHCs), 25 chlorophenols (CPs), 30 organophosphorus (OP) and pyrethroid (PRT) in two arable soils from the semi-arid and subtropical regions of China were assessed. Data obtained indicate that the main compounds of CHC pesticide residues in the semi-arid soil were 4,4'-DDE (25.3 ng/g) and beta-HCH (14.1 ng/g), which totally accounted to about 90% of total CHC residues detected. The total content of CHC residues detected in the subtropical soil was only 3.1 ng/g, of which approximately 50% was beta-HCH. However, the total content of CP residues in both of the soils was about 11 ng/g. In the semi-arid soil, only parathion-methyl amongst the 30 compounds of OP and PRT residues was detected (32.5 ng/g), whilst malathion and parathion-methyl (8.7 and 17.7 ng/g, respectively) detected in the subtropical soil. Based on these results, it was suggested the environmental risk of pesticide residues ranked in an order as CHCs (mainly as 4,4'-DDE, beta-HCH) > OP (parathion-methyl) > CPs for the semi-arid soil, and as OPs (parathion-methyl and malathion) > CPs > CHCs (beta-HCH) for the subtropical soil.

Determination of pyrethroid residues in tobacco and cigarette smoke by capillary gas chromatography

The extraction of fenpropathrin, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, fenvalerate and deltamethrin from tobacco (Nicotina tobaccum) and cigarette smoke condensate with acetone, followed by partition of resulting acetone mixture with petroleum ether, was investigated and found suitable for capillary gas chromatography (GC) residue analysis. Florisil column clean-up was found to provide clean-up procedure for tobacco and cigarette smoke condensate permitting analysis to < or = 0.01 microgram.g-1 for most of the pyrethroids by GC with a 63Ni electron capture detector (GC-ECD). Quantitative determination was obtained by the method of external standards. Cigarettes made from flue-cured tobacco spiked with different amounts of pyrethroids were used and the pyrethroid levels in mainstream smoke were determined. For all the pyrethroid residues, 1.51-15.50% were transferred from tobacco into cigarette smoke.

Chromatographic methods for the determination of pyrethrin and pyrethroid pesticide residues in crops, foods and environmental samples

An overview is given of current progress in the analysis of pyrethrin and pyrethroid pesticide residues in crops, foods and environmental matrices. Extraction and clean-up are considered as the sample pretreatment prior to the determination. The conventional procedures (liquid-liquid partition and column chromatography) as well as the newly developed methods (solid-phase extraction, supercritical fluid extraction) are reviewed. GLC, HPLC and TLC chromatographic methods as the final determination of individual pyrethrin and pyrethroid residues and multi-residue, the enantiomer and diastereomer separation as well as the GC-MS confirmation are discussed and summarized in tabular form.

Multi-residue matrix solid-phase dispersion method for the determination of six synthetic pyrethroids in vegetables followed by gas chromatography with electron capture detection

An effective multi-residue matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction and gas chromatographic-electron-capture detection method for the determination of six synthetic pyrethroids (fenpropathrin, cyhalothrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, fenvalerate and deltamethrin) in 5 g of vegetables (West Indian gherkin, eggplant, pak-choi, cabbage and garden peas) is described. The method uses a Florisil-based MSPD column for direct in-line clean-up with n-hexane-acetone (9:1). Recoveries calculated at 0.1 and 0.5 micrograms/g fortification levels were between 92 and 113%. The method detection limits were between 5.1 and 91.5 ng/g. The method compared favourably with the traditional method in terms of the sample size, analysis time and overall cost. The method may serve as a screening protocol for the determination of pyrethroids in vegetables.

Rapid method for the determination of multiple pyrethroid residues in fruits and vegetables by capillary column gas chromatography

A rapid and economical simplified multi-residue method is described for the determination of multiple pyrethroid insecticides in fruits and vegetables. The residues are extracted from crops with methanol and the crop co-extractives are removed by toluene partitioning and Florisil-charcoal minicolumn chromatography. The final extract is analysed by capillary column gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. The recoveries were determined by fortifying six different crops (apples, oranges, cabbages, pears, peppers and tomatoes) with eleven pyrethroids (Py-115, allethrin, biphenthrin, fenpropathrin, cyhalothrin, permethrin, cyfluthrin, flucythrinate, fluvalinate, fenvalerate and deltamethrin) at three levels, 0.01-0.07, 0.10-0.70 and 1.0-7.0 mg/kg. Three determinations were made at each level for each crop. Recoveries of the eleven pyrethroids ranged from 70.4 to 110.0% at the three different levels. The practical determination limit of the method was in the range 3.0-30.0 micrograms/kg for all the pyrethroid insecticides. The proposed method had major advantages that simplified steps were achieved for the extraction and the clean-up, the solvent consumption was reduced and the analysis time was shortened.

Supercritical fluid extraction of fluvalinate residues in honey. Determination by high-performance liquid chromatography

A method for the analysis of fluvalinate residues in honey from beehives treated with this product to prevent varroatosis is described. The method involves supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide and further analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography on a C18 reversed-phase column, acetonitrile-water (80:20) as mobile phase and detection at 254 nm. This method is simpler than the one in which extraction with organic solvents, thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography is used.

Determination of residues of deltamethrin in milk and butter

A method is described for the determination of deltamethrin, particularly in mild and dairy products. Residues and fat were co-extracted with acetone and light petroleum, partitioned with acetonitrile-methylene chloride and centrifuged (-10 degrees C). The extract was purified by gel permeation chromatography. A Florisil clean-up method was tested but did not seem effective enough. Analysis was performed by gas-liquid chromatography with a 63Ni electron-capture detector on 3% SE-30 using a short column (40 cm). Confirmation was effected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with an SE-30 capillary column (10 m). Recoveries from fortified samples ranged from 72 to 88% for milk spiked with 0.06 ppm and butter spiked with 2 ppm and was 94% for milk spiked with 0.016 ppm of deltamethrin.

Study of alkaline hydrolysis of the insecticide alphamethrine by isotachophoretic determination of decomposition products

Alkaline hydrolysis of the pyrethroid insecticide alphamethrine has been studied. After hydrolytic cleavage at various temperatures and pH values, the degradation products, phenoxybenzoic acid and the dichloro derivative of chrysanthemic acid, were identified and determined by means of capillary isotachophoresis. Rate constants, activation energies and the reaction enthalpy and entropy were calculated.

[Residue analysis of pyrethroid insecticides in cereal grains, milled fractions and bread]

A procedure is described for the residual analysis of eight pyrethroid insecticides at levels of 2-5 micrograms/kg. Residues are extracted from cereal grains, flour or bread with a mixture of acetonitrile/water (2 + 1) and are partitioned into petroleum ether. Clean-up is performed by gel permeation chromatography on Bio-Beads S-X3 and an additional Florisil column. Electron capture gas liquid chromatography on a non-polar SE-30 capillary column separates the isomers of the compounds. Under the conditions used in the experiments with cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, fenvalerate, and permethrin, the compound levels in rye and wheat did not decrease significantly. Losses during milling and baking were small. Consequently, pyrethroid insecticides remain effective in grain stored over a long period of time. However, considerable residues result in the milled fractions as well as in different types of bread.