Takamitsu Otake

Evaluation of the impact of matrix effect on quantification of pesticides in foods by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using isotope-labeled internal standards.

The impact of the matrix effect in GC-MS quantification of pesticides in food using the corresponding isotope-labeled internal standards was evaluated. A spike-and-recovery study of nine target pesticides was first conducted using paste samples of corn, green soybean, carrot, and pumpkin. The observed analytical values using isotope-labeled internal standards were more accurate for most target pesticides than that obtained using the external calibration method, but were still biased from the spiked concentrations when a matrix-free calibration solution was used for calibration. The respective calibration curves for each target pesticide were also prepared using matrix-free calibration solutions and matrix-matched calibration solutions with blank soybean extract. The intensity ratio of the peaks of most target pesticides to that of the corresponding isotope-labeled internal standards was influenced by the presence of the matrix in the calibration solution; therefore, the observed slope varied. The ratio was also influenced by the type of injection method (splitless or on-column). These results indicated that matrix-matching of the calibration solution is required for very accurate quantification, even if isotope-labeled internal standards were used for calibration.

Development of certified reference material for quantification of two pesticides in brown rice.

Brown rice powder certified reference material, NMIJ CRM 7504-a, for the analysis of pesticide residues was developed by the National Metrology Institute of Japan, part of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. Brown rice sample was harvested to contain the pesticides such as etofenprox and fenitrothion, and that was collected from a field in Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan. The certification was carried out using multiple analytical methods such as pressurized liquid extraction, homogenization, and solid-liquid extraction (shaking); the values of target pesticides were obtained by isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Certified values were 0.19 +/- 0.05 mg/kg and 0.109 +/- 0.017 mg/kg for etofenprox and fenitrothion, respectively.

Development of apple certified reference material for quantification of organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides

An apple certified reference material for the analysis of pesticide residues was issued by the National Metrology Institute of Japan. Organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides were sprayed on apples, and these were used as raw materials of certified reference material. The harvested apples were cut into small pieces, freeze-dried, pulverized, sieved, placed into 200 brown glass bottles (3g each), and sterilized by γ-irradiation. Stability and homogeneity assessment was performed, and the relative uncertainties due to instability (for an expiry date of 32 months) and inhomogeneity were 10.3-25.0% and 4.0-6.8%, respectively. The characterization was carried out using multiple analytical methods to ensure the reliability of analytical results; the values of target pesticides were obtained by isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Certified values were 2.28 ± 0.82 mg/kg for diazinon, 3.14 ± 0.79 mg/kg for fenitrothion, 1.55 ± 0.81 mg/kg for cypermethrin, and 2.81 ± 0.70 mg/kg for permethrin.

Development of soybean certified reference material for pesticide residue analysis

A soybean certified reference material for pesticide residue analysis was developed by the National Metrology Institute of Japan. Three organophosphorus (diazinon, fenitrothion, chlorphyrifos) and one pyrethroid (permethrin) pesticides were sprayed on soybeans three times before harvest. These soybeans were freeze pulverized, homogenized, bottled, and sterilized by γ-irradiation to prepare the candidate material. Three isotope-dilution mass spectrometric methods that varied in terms of the solvents used for extraction of the target pesticides, the clean-up procedure, and the injection techniques and columns used for quantification via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry were applied to the characterization. Each target pesticide was quantified by two of these analytical methods, and the results were in good agreement. Homogeneity and stability assessment of the material demonstrated that the relative standard uncertainties due to the inhomogeneity and the instability for an expiry date of 55 months were 1.89-4.00% and 6.65-11.5%, respectively. The certified pesticide concentrations with expanded uncertainties (coverage factor k=2, approximate 95% confidence interval) calculated using the results of the characterization and the homogeneity and stability assessment were 21.7 ± 3.2 μg/kg for diazinon, 88 ± 21 μg/kg for fenitrothion, 11.1 ± 3.2 μg/kg for chlorpyrifos, and 20.1 ± 4.3 μg/kg for permethrin (as the sum of the constituent isomers).

Development of green onion and cabbage certified reference materials for quantification of organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides.

Green onion and cabbage certified reference materials for the analysis of pesticide residues were issued by the National Metrology Institute of Japan, part of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. Green onion and cabbage samples were grown so as to contain several kinds of organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides, and those were collected from a field in the Kochi Prefecture in Japan. The certification was carried out by using multiple analytical methods to ensure the reliability of analytical results; the values of target pesticides (diazinon, fenitrothion, cypermethrin, etofenprox, and permethrin for green onion and chlorpyrifos, fenitrothion, and permethrin for cabbage) were obtained by isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Certified values of target pesticides were 0.96-13.9 and 2.41-6.9 mg/kg for green onion and cabbage, respectively. These are the first green onion and cabbage powder certified reference materials in which organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides are determined.

Evaluation of pressurized liquid extraction for the analysis of four pesticides in unpolished rice

The aim of to evaluate efficiency of this study was extraction pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) for the analysis of four pesticides, fthalide, etofenprox, fenitrothion, and isoprothiolane, in unpolished rice by comparing with homogenization as a reference technique. The concentrations of four selected pesticides obtained by PLE with acetonitrile at 130°C for 10 min × 2 cycles were comparable to those by homogenization with water-soaking. The repeatability of the analysis, represented as relative standard deviations (RSDs), were 1.4–3.6% (n = 3) for PLE at 130°C and 1.2–3.8% (n = 3) for homogenization with water-soaking. Recovery yields of surrogates were 75–88% and 87–109% for PLE at 130°C and homogenization with water-soaking, respectively, and these were satisfactory according to the method of positive list. This study suggested that PLE can be applied for the analysis of selected four pesticides in unpolished rice as well as homogenization with water-soaking.

Proficiency testing for determination of pesticide residues in soybean: comparison of assigned values from participants' results and isotope-dilution mass spectrometric determination.

Proficiency testing (PT) for the determination of pesticide residues in soybean samples was organized by the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ). The candidate certified reference material, NMIJ CRM 7509-a, that was prepared from the raw soybeans containing target pesticides (diazinon, fenitrothion, chlorpyrifos, and permethrin) was used as the test sample. Forty participants submitted two sets of analytical results along with the details of the analytical method and conditions they applied. Two types of assigned values were established for each target pesticide: one was derived from the analytical results of the participants, and the other was provided from the analytical results by isotope-dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS). The latter values were 7.4-16% higher than the former values, plausibly because the analytical values from the IDMS measurements were not affected by the recovery ratio of the target pesticides during the analytical process. Thus, two kinds of z-scores were calculated for individual participants using the corresponding assigned values: one (z1-score) showed the relative performance score for the present PT and the other (z2-score) could be used for evaluation of the trueness of their analytical methods.

Multiresidue analysis and monitoring of pesticides in rice by pressurized liquid extraction.

The aim of this study was to assess the performance of a method of analyzing pesticides in rice by using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and to perform a preliminary monitoring by using that method. The instrumental quantification limit, instrumental detection limit, method quantification limit, and method detection limit were determined. PLE temperature was also optimized for 6 target pesticides. Mean recoveries of spiked rice with target pesticides (4 ng/g and 40 ng/g) were 83%–109% with the repeatability of the analysis, represented as relative standard deviations, ranged from 1.3% to 11% (n = 5) for PLE at 130°C. These results were satisfactory according to the method of positive list in Japan. In a preliminary analysis of 10 target pesticides in 54 commercial rice samples, ferimzone was detected in only one unpolished rice sample.

Optimization of Microwave-Assisted Extraction for the Determination of Organic Flame Retardants in Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

The efficiency of microwave-assisted extraction was evaluated for the determination of flame retardants in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene by optimization of the temperature, time, and solvent. A quality control sample containing 500 milligrams per kilogram Dechlorane Plus, 1000 milligrams per kilogram tetrabromobisphenol A, and 1000 milligrams per kilogram triphenyl phosphate was employed. The flame retardant concentrations obtained by microwave-assisted extraction at 120 degrees Celsius for ten minutes in tetrahydrofuran were in agreement with those for the quality control sample. The efficiency of microwave-assisted extraction was comparable to ultrasonic and Soxhlet extraction used as reference techniques. In addition, the repeatabilities of the analyses, represented as relative standard deviations, were comparable: 0.8–3.4 percent for microwave-assisted extraction, 0.3–3.3 percent for ultrasonic extraction, and 0.2–8.5 percent for Soxhlet extraction. These results suggest that microwave-assisted extraction is suitable for the determination of Dechlorane Plus, tetrabromobisphenol A, and triphenyl phosphate in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

Determination of Pyrethroid and Organophosphorus Insecticides in Indoor Air by Microwave-Assisted Extraction with Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of microwave-assisted extraction for the recovery of pyrethroid and organophosphorus insecticides adsorbed on quartz fiber filters and C18 disks used for indoor air sampling. The extraction solvent, temperature, and time were optimized by spiking tests. The recoveries for the insecticides obtained by microwave-assisted extraction with acetone at 50°C for 5 min were between 71.9% and 119.2% with relative standard deviations between 0.3% and 9.3% at two spike levels (0.1 µg and 1.0 µg). The results of the microwave-assisted extraction under the validation conditions were comparable to those obtained by Soxhlet extraction, which was used as a reference technique. In a preliminary analysis, resmethrin and tetramethrin were determined in the indoor air of an apartment unit at concentrations of 7.8 ng/m3 and 66.0 ng/m3, respectively, using the microwave-assisted extraction-based method with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.