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Multiresidue Analysis of 113 Pesticides in Different Maturity Levels of Mangoes Using an Optimized QuEChERS Method with GC-MS/MS and UHPLC-MS/MS

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Abstract

In this study, a simple and high-throughput multiresidue pesticide analysis method based on the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe (QuEChERS) extraction combined with gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) is presented for the determination of 113 pesticides in green and ripe mangoes. Different buffer systems and purification sorbents were optimized to get better recovery. Extracts from mangoes after acid acetonitrile and ammonium acetate extraction were directly injected to UHPLC-MS/MS analysis, whereas other GC-amenable compounds were treated with cleanup approaches with a mixture of sorbents [400 mg primary-secondary amine (PSA) and 400 mg graphitized carbon black (GCB)] for GC-MS/MS analysis. Recoveries for the majority of pesticides at spike levels of 10, 50, and 100 μg/kg were ranged between 70 and 120% with RSD values below 20%. Limits of detection (LODs) were below 4 μg/kg, whereas limits of quantification (LOQs) were below 10 μg/kg. Response linearity was good in the range between 5 and 500 μg/kg. The matrix effect for 56 pesticides by GC-MS/MS analysis exhibited a non-significant matrix effect (≤ 25%) in green and ripe mangoes. For 57 pesticides used for UHPLC-MS/MS analysis, the optimized method in green mango provided no significant matrix effect (≤ 25%) for 63% of the compounds, whereas only for 16 and 21% compounds, the matrix effect was medium (25–40%) and strong (> 40%); the optimized method in ripe mango provided no significant matrix effect (≤ 25%) for 61% of the compounds, whereas only for 26 and 12% compounds, the matrix effect was medium (25–40%) and strong (> 40%). Following the application of a “top-down” approach, the expanded measurement uncertainty was both 21% on average (coverage factor k = 2, confidence level 95%) in green and ripe mangoes. The application of GC-MS/MS and UHPLC-MS/MS coupled with the modified QuEChERS extraction procedures was proved to adequately quantitate these pesticides in different maturity levels of mangoes.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the special fund of the Supervision Bureau of Quality and Safety on Agro-Products in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China (GJFP201700402).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Analysis and Test Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China

    Pingping Li, Yun Duan, Huilin Ge, Yue Zhang & Xiaofang Wu

  2. Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Tropical Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Haikou, China

    Pingping Li, Yun Duan, Huilin Ge, Yue Zhang & Xiaofang Wu

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  1. Pingping Li
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Correspondence to Pingping Li.

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Pingping Li declares that she has no conflict of interest. Yun Duan declares that he has no conflict of interest. Huilin Ge declares that he has no conflict of interest. Yue Zhang declares that she has no conflict of interest. Xiaofang Wu declares that she has no conflict of interest.

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Li, P., Duan, Y., Ge, H. et al. Multiresidue Analysis of 113 Pesticides in Different Maturity Levels of Mangoes Using an Optimized QuEChERS Method with GC-MS/MS and UHPLC-MS/MS. Food Anal. Methods 11, 2742–2757 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-018-1263-5

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