Corina Mihaela OPRITA (CIOARA) 1,4 , Elena RADU4, Daniela LIPOVEANU4, Nicoleta MARIN 4, Ingrid Alina COMAN 4, Marilena CANUTA4, Natalia ROȘOIU 1,2,3
Abstract.
Given the large number of plant food samples that will be analyzed annually for pesticide residues, it was necessary to develop a fast and easy method for analyzing multiple residues using a system composed of a liquid chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer.
The QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe Extraction) extraction technique combined with the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis technique was used to optimize a multiresidue analysis method for 397 pesticide residues from matrices with high water content and high acid content, as well as other matrix groups.
The performance parameters studied for the validation of the method were selectivity, limit of quantification (LOQ), linearity, repeatability, reproductibility, recovery, robustness and matrix effect. All compounds identified at very low levels (1, 5, or 10 mg/kg) could be quantified at LOQs lower than 0.01 mg/kg. The linearity of the calibration curve for each compound is in the range of 1–500 µg/L, and its coefficient of determination (R2) is >0.97.
This method is applied within the Laboratory for determination of pesticide residues by LC-MS/MS technique for the following groups of food products of vegetable origin.
Keywords: pesticides in fruits and vegetables, chromatographic liquid analysis, mass spectrometry, food safety
DOI 10.56082/annalsarscibio.2025.1.98
1 Institute of PhD Studies, Doctoral School of Applied Sciences Ovidiu’s University Constanta
2 Prof. Univ. Emeritus PhD Ovidiu’s University, Faculty of Medicine
3 Academy of Romanian Scientists
4 Residues and Contaminants Laboratory Department, Veterinary Health and Food Safety Laboratory D.S.V.S.A. Constanta
PUBLISHED in Annals Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Biological Sciences, Volume 14 no 1, 2025