Carmem D. Cardoso

Development, optimization and validation of a multimethod for the determination of 36 mycotoxins in wines by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A fast and efficient multimethod for the determination of 36 mycotoxins in wine, using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), was developed, optimized, validated and implemented in routine analysis. A simplified, quick extraction was performed with acetonitrile, derived from the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) approach, which was traditionally developed for pesticides analysis. This study aimed at a single extraction and chromatographic separation for 36 mycotoxins. Optimization tests were performed to find the proper ratio of wine: water and extraction solvent and the need for an additional buffering step with ammonium formate/formic acid and a dispersive SPE cleanup with various sorbents. The dSPE steps did not show significant improvement in analysis results, therefore, it was not applied in the final method to be validated. The mycotoxins were separated and detected on a UPLC-MS/MS system, used in the ESI positive ionization mode. The various mycotoxins were divided in three different concentration level groups, according to their sensitivity in UPLC-MS/MS. The validation was performed by analyzing recovery samples at three different spike levels with six replicates (n=6) at each level. Linearity (r(2)) of calibration curves, accuracy (recovery %), instrument limits of detection and method limits of quantification (LOD and LOQ), precision (RSD%) and matrix effects (%) were determined for each individual mycotoxin. From the 36 mycotoxins analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS (ESI+), 35 showed average recoveries in the range 70-120%, and 86% of these with a RSD≤20% at the lowest spike level (for Group I, II and III, respectively, 1, 50 and 10 µg kg(-1)). The higher spike levels showed even better results. Only nivalenol could not be quantified at any concentration level. The method LOQ for 86% of the mycotoxins studied was the lowest spike level tested. The matrix effect observed was low for most mycotoxins analyzed and had no significant influence on the analytical results obtained. The developed procedure was applied successfully in routine analysis in a survey of wine samples originating from different countries.

A multi-residue method for pesticides analysis in green coffee beans using gas chromatography–negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry in selective ion monitoring mode

In this study, a new gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method, using the very selective negative chemical ionization (NCI) mode, was developed and applied in combination with a modified acetonitrile-based extraction method (QuEChERS) for the analysis of a large number of pesticide residues (51 pesticides, including isomers and degradation products) in green coffee beans. A previously developed integrated sample homogenization and extraction method for both pesticides and mycotoxins analysis was used. An homogeneous slurry of green milled coffee beans and water (ratio 1:4, w/w) was prepared and extracted with acetonitrile/acetic acid (1%), followed by magnesium sulfate addition for phase separation. Aliquots from this extract could be used directly for LC-MS/MS analysis of mycotoxins and LC-amenable pesticides. For GC-MS analysis, a further clean-up was necessary. C18- and PSA-bonded silica were tested as dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) sorbents, separate and as a mixture, and the best results were obtained using C18-bonded silica. For the optimal sensitivity and selectivity, GC-MS detection in the NCI-selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode had to be used to allow the fast analysis of the difficult coffee bean matrix. The validation was performed by analyzing recovery samples at three different spike concentrations, 10, 20 and 50 μg kg(-1), with 6 replicates (n=6) at each concentration. Linearity (r(2)) of calibration curves, estimated instrument and method limits of detection and limits of quantification (LOD(i), LOD(m), LOQ(i) and LOQ(m), respectively), accuracy (as recovery %), precision (as RSD%) and matrix effects (%) were determined for each individual pesticide. From the 51 analytes (42 parent pesticides, 4 isomers and 5 degradation products) determined by GC-MS (NCI-SIM), approximately 76% showed average recoveries between 70-120% and 75% and RSD ≤ 20% at the lowest spike concentration of 10 μg kg(-1), the target method LOQ. For the spike concentrations of 20 and 50 μg kg(-1), the recoveries and RSDs were even better. The validated LOQ(m) was 10, 20 and 50 μg kg(-1) for respectively 33, 3 and 6 of the analytes studied. For five compounds, the European Union method performance requirements for the validation of a quantitative method (average recoveries between 70-120% and repeatability RSD ≤ 20%) were not achieved and 4 problematic pesticides (captan, captafol, folpet and dicofol) could not be detected as their parent compound, but only via their degradation products. Although the matrix effect (matrix-enhanced detector response) was high for all pesticides studied, the matrix interference was minimal, due to the high selectivity obtained with the GC-NCI-MS detection. Matrix-matched calibration for applying the method in routine analysis is recommended for reliable quantitative results.

Determination of paraquat and diquat: LC-MS method optimization and validation.

This study describes the optimization and single-laboratory validation of a single residue method for determination of two bipyridylium herbicides, paraquat and diquat, in cowpeas by UPLC-MS/MS in a total run time of 9.3min. The method is based on extraction with an acidified methanol-water mixture. Different extraction parameters (extraction solvent composition, temperature, sample extract filtration, and pre-treatment of the laboratory sample) were evaluated in order to optimize the extraction method efficiency. Isotopically labeled internal standards, Paraquat-D6 and Diquat-D4, were used and added to the test portions prior to extraction. The method validation was performed by analyzing spiked samples at three concentrations (10, 20 and 50μgkg(-1)), with seven replicates (n=7) for each concentration. Linearity (r(2)) of analytical curves, accuracy (trueness as recovery % and precision as RSD%), instrument and method limits of detection and quantification (LOD and LOQ) and matrix effects were determined. Average recoveries obtained for diquat were between 77 and 85% with RSD values ⩽20%, for all spike levels studied. On the other hand, paraquat showed average recoveries between 68 and 103% with RSDs in the range 14.4-25.4%. The method LOQ was 10 and 20μgkg(-1) for diquat and paraquat, respectively. The matrix effect was significant for both pesticides. Consequently, matrix-matched calibration standards and using isotopically labeled (IL) analogues as internal standards for the target analytes are required for application in routine analysis. The validated method was successfully applied for cowpea samples obtained from various field studies.

Simultaneous determination of 117 pesticides and 30 mycotoxins in raw coffee, without clean-up, by LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis

This paper describes the optimization and validation of an acetonitrile based method for simultaneous extraction of multiple pesticides and mycotoxins from raw coffee beans followed by LC-ESI-MS/MS determination. Before extraction, the raw coffee samples were milled and then slurried with water. The slurried samples were spiked with two separate standard solutions, one containing 131 pesticides and a second with 35 mycotoxins, which were divided into 3 groups of different relative concentration levels. Optimization of the QuEChERS approach included performance tests with acetonitrile acidified with acetic acid or formic acid, with or without buffer and with or without clean-up of the extracts before LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. For the clean-up step, seven d-SPE sorbents and their various mixtures were evaluated. After method optimization a complete validation study was carried out to ensure adequate performance of the extraction and chromatographic methods. The samples were spiked at 3 concentrations levels with both mycotoxins and pesticides (with 6 replicates at each level, n = 6) and then submitted to the extraction procedure. Before LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis, the acetonitrile extracts were diluted 2-fold with methanol, in order to improve the chromatographic performance of the early-eluting polar analytes. Calibration standard solutions were prepared in organic solvent and in blank coffee extract at 7 concentration levels and analyzed 6 times each. The method was assessed for accuracy (recovery %), precision (RSD%), selectivity, linearity (r2), limit of quantification (LOQ) and matrix effects (%).

Analytical method validation to evaluate dithiocarbamates degradation in biobeds in South of Brazil

In order to evaluate the efficiency of biobeds on DTC degradation, the aim of this study was to apply, optimize and validate a method to determine dithiocarbamate (mancozeb) in biobeds using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The DTC pesticide mancozeb was hydrolysed in a tin (II) chloride solution at 1.5% in HCl (4 mol L-1), during 1 h in a water bath at 80 °C, and the CS2 formed was extracted in isooctane. After cooling, 1 mL of the organic layer was transferred to an auto sampler vial and analyzed by GC-MS. A complete validation study was performed and the following parameters were assessed: linearity of the analytical curve (r2), estimated method and instrument limits of detection and limits of quantification (LODm, LODi, LOQm and LOQi, respectively), accuracy (recovery%), precision (RSD%) and matrix effects. Recovery experiments were carried out with a standard spiking solution of the DTC pesticide thiram. Blank biobed (biomixture) samples were spiked at the three levels corresponding to the CS2 concentrations of 1, 3 and 5 mg kg-1, with seven replicates each (n = 7). The method presented satisfactory accuracy, with recoveries within the range of 89-96% and RSD ≤ 11%. The analytical curves were linear in the concentration range of 0.05-10 µg CS2 mL-1 (r2 > 0.9946). LODm and LOQm were 0.1 and 0.5 mg CS2 kg-1, respectively, and the calculated matrix effects were not significant (≤ 20%). The validated method was applied to 80 samples (biomixture), from sixteen different biobeds (collected at five sampling times) during fourteen months. Ten percent of samples presented CS2 concentration below the LOD (0.1 mg CS2 kg-1) and 49% of them showed results below the LOQ (0.5 mg CS2 kg-1), which demonstrates the biobeds capability to degrade DTC.

Pesticide Residues Method Validation by UPLC-MS/MS for Accreditation Purposes

The development and validation of an analytical method for the determination of 51 pesticides in tomato using UPLC-MS/MS (ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry) was performed in order to fulfill the requirements of the NBR ISO/IEC 17025:2005. The goal of the validation was to evaluate all required parameters, such as linearity of analytical curves, instrument and method limits of detection and quantification, matrix effect and accuracy (trueness and precision). Stock solutions of the pesticides were prepared in organic solvent by two different analysts independently, in order to validate this preparation by comparing the detector response areas of injections (n = 7). Pesticides were extracted from tomatoes applying the Dutch mini-Luke method with 30 mL of each solvent as acetone, petroleum ether as well as dichloromethane. A small aliquot of the organic solvent extract was evaporated and reconstituted in methanol with 0.1% of acetic acid (v/v) for UPLC-MS/MS analysis. The recovery experiments were done by spiking blank samples at 10, 20 and 50 µg kg-1, performed by two analysts, seven replicates for each concentration level plus the blank sample. From the 51 studied compounds, 46 showed recoveries within the acceptable range of 70-120% for all evaluated concentrations. For 82% of pesticides, the validated method limit of quantification was the lowest concentration studied (10 µg kg-1) . The intermediate precision was below 20% for all evaluated pesticides showing excellent repeatability of the method.