Determination of selected pesticides in environmental water by employing liquid-phase microextraction and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Recent advances in the extraction of triazine herbicides from water samples

Pesticides are excessively used in agriculture to improve the quality of crops by eliminating the negative effects of pests. Among the different groups of pesticides, triazine pesticides are a group of compounds that contain a substituted C₃ H₃ N₃ heterocyclic ring, and they are widely used. Triazine pesticides can be dangerous for humans as well as for the aquatic environment because of their high toxicity and endocrine disrupting effect. However, the concentration of these chemical compounds in water samples is low. Moreover, other compounds that may exist in the water samples can interfere with the determination of triazine pesticides. As a result, it is important to develop sample preparation methods that provide preconcentration of the target analyte and sufficient clean-up of the samples. Recently, a wide variety of novel microextraction and miniaturized extraction techniques (e.g., solid-phase microextraction and liquid-phase microextraction, stir bar sorptive extraction, fabric phase sorptive extraction, dispersive solid-phase extraction, and magnetic solid-phase extraction) have been developed. In this review, we aim to discuss the recent advances regarding the extraction of triazine pesticides from environmental water samples. Emphasis will be given to novel sample preparation methods and novel sorbents developed for sorbent-based extraction techniques.

Pretreatment and determination methods for benzimidazoles: An update since 2005

Benzimidazoles, commonly used as pesticides and veterinary drugs, have posed a threat to human health and the environment due to unreasonable use and lack of valid regulation. Therefore, an up-to-date and comprehensive summary of the pretreatment and analytical approaches in different substrates is urgently needed. The present review consequently updates and covers various newly developed pretreatment methods (e.g., cationic micellar precipitation, magnetic-solid phase extraction, hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction, disperse liquid-liquid microextraction-solidified floating organic drop, stir cake sorptive extraction, solid phase microextraction method, QuEChERS, and molecular imprinted polymer-based methods) since 2005. The review also elaborates and discusses different determination methods (e.g., newly developed HPLC and related methods, improved spectrofluorimetry methods, capillary electrophoresis, and the electrochemical sensor). Furthermore, some critical points and prospects are highlighted, to describe the trends in this area.

A novel sensor based on WO3·0.33H2O nanorods modified electrode for the detection and degradation of herbicide, carbendazim

In the present-day scenario, it is necessary to establish more flexible, effective and selective analytical methods that are easy to operate and less expensive. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) can be a useful technique to assess minute quantity of pollutants and in this work, an effort has been made to detect the trace quantification from the environmental samples. Herein, electrochemical sensor was fabricated using tungsten oxide nanorod (WO₃·0.33H₂O) for sensitive detection of fungicide, carbendazim (CBZ). Under optimal conditions, while studying the effect of pH on peak current, the highest peak current was observed at pH 4.2. The degradation of CBZ followed the mixed diffusion-adsorption controlled and quasi-reversible processess at the WO₃·0.33H₂O/GC electrode surface. Using WO₃·0.33H₂O/GCE sensor in SWV provided the lowest limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values of 2.21 × 10^-8 M and 7.37 × 10^-8 M, respectively over the concentration ranges of 1.0 × 10^-7 M to 2.5 × 10^-4 M. The proposed method demonstrates potential applicability of the fabricated sensor for soil and water samples analysis in the management of creating a benign environment.

Preparation of a new three-component deep eutectic solvent and its use as an extraction solvent in dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction of pesticides in green tea and herbal distillates

BACKGROUND

A new solvent, deep eutectic solvent, in which there is growing interest, has been prepared and used as an extraction solvent in the dispersive liquid-liquid method of microextraction. To prepare the solvent, dichloroacetic acid, l-menthol, and n-butanol are mixed at a molar ratio of 4:1:1 and the deep eutectic solvent is formed after heating. Then a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method using the prepared solvent is used for the extraction and preconcentration of some pesticides from an aqueous sample. To carry out the procedure, the deep eutectic solvent is mixed with methanol and rapidly injected by a syringe into the aqueous sample containing the analytes. After centrifuging, an aliquot of the sedimented phase is injected into the gas chromatograph. The influence of several variables on the extraction efficiency was investigated and optimized.

RESULTS

Extraction recoveries and enrichment factors were obtained in the ranges of 53-86% and 1760-2853, respectively. The intra- (n = 6) and inter-day (n = 5) precision of the method was satisfactory, with relative standard deviations ≤ 7% obtained at two concentrations of 10 and 50 μg L^-1 of each analyte. Moreover, detection and quantification limits for the target analytes were obtained in the ranges of 0.11-0.23 and 0.38-0.74 μg L^-1 , respectively.

CONCLUSION

Different samples, including green tea, rose water, lemon balm, mint, and pussy willow distillates were analyzed successfully using the method that was developed, and chlorpyrifos was found in rose water at a concentration of 17 ± 1 μg L^-1 (n = 3). © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Determination, residue analysis, risk assessment and processing factors of tebufenozide in okra fruits under field conditions

BACKGROUND

Ensuring the yield, quality, and profitability of okra by preventing and controlling pests with the application of insecticides has increased in the last decade. Some insecticide residues might remain in edible parts of okra (fruits) and lead to several potential human health problems. Therefore, research on the residue behaviour, risk assessment and removal approach of insecticides on okra fruits is important for food safety, together with the proper application and residual elimination of insecticides in okra.

RESULTS

A simple liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was established and validated for determining the tebufenozide residues in okra fruits. The recoveries of tebufenozide in okra fruits were >72% with relative standard deviations of 0.6 to 6.1%. The dissipation rates of tebufenozide were different in okra fruits cultivated under open land and glasshouse field conditions because of the discriminating humidity and temperature conditions. The dietary intake of the tebufenozide residues from okra fruit consumption for Chinese consumers was fairly low, with approximately no potential health risk. The processing factor values of washing, blanching, washing + blanching and soaking were all less than one, which indicated that these processes could effectively reduce the residual hydrazide in the okra fruit.

CONCLUSION

The developed method for analysing tebufenozide in okra fruits was applicable for field studies on this insecticide. The potential health risk of tebufenozide in okra fruits could be negligible to the health of different age groups of Chinese consumers. The soaking process effectively removed tebufenozide residues from okra fruits. The obtained data will help Chinese governments establish a maximum residue limit of tebufenozide in okra and provide data for the risk assessment and removal of tebufenozide in other crops. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Applications of Hollow-Fiber and Related Microextraction Techniques for the Determination of Pesticides in Environmental and Food Samples—A Mini Review

Pesticides represent one of the most important groups of analytes in environmental analysis. Moreover, their levels are very frequently determined in food and beverages due to the concern over their possible adverse health effects. Their concentration in samples is usually very low; thus, they have to be preconcentrated. Conventional solvent and solid-phase extractions are mainly used for this purpose, but miniaturized approaches are also being applied more and more often. The present review covers solvent microextractions that use a semi-permeable membrane barrier between the sample and the solvent. The main representatives of this approach are hollow-fiber microextraction (HFME), solvent bar microextraction (SBME), electromembrane extraction (EME), and different variations of those, such as combinations with other sorbent or solvent microextractions, electromigration, etc. The relevant research from the last decade, dealing with the application of these microextractions to the isolation of pesticides from various environmental and food samples, is critically discussed with emphasis on their strengths and weak points.

Determination, residue and risk assessment of trifloxystrobin, trifloxystrobin acid and tebuconazole in Chinese rice consumption

A simple and rapid analytical method for the detection of trifloxystrobin, trifloxystrobin acid and tebuconazole in soil, brown rice, paddy plants and rice hulls was established and validated by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Acceptable linearity (R²  > 0.99), accuracy (average recoveries of 74.3-108.5%) and precision (intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations of 0.9-8.8%) were obtained using the developed determination approach. In the field trial, the half-lives of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole in paddy plants were 5.7-8.3 days in three locations throughout China, and the terminal residue concentrations of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole were <100 and 500 μg/kg (maximum residue limits set by China), respectively, at harvest, which indicated that, based on the recommended application procedure, trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole are safe for use on rice. The risk assessment results demonstrated that, owing to risk quotient values of both fungicides being <100%, the potential risk of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole on rice was acceptable for Chinese consumers. These data could provide supporting information for the proper use and safety evaluation of trifloxystrobin and tebuconazole in rice.

Combined Approach for Determining Diuron in Sugarcane and Soil: Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction, Carbon Nanotube-Mediated Purification, and Gas Chromatography-Electron Capture Detection

Diuron is a urea herbicide that is frequently detected in surface water, groundwater, and marine waters. However, there are few methods or guidelines reported on ensuring the quality of sugarcane and soil. In this study, a method was developed for detecting diuron to ensure the quality and safety of food and sugar. Mass spectrometry was used to identify 3,4-dichloroaniline as a marker for the thermal decomposition of diuron, and thus, as a representative component for quantitative diuron analysis. This approach can be used to rapidly detect trace amounts of diuron. In addition, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and carbon nanotube column purification were used in conjunction with gas chromatography-electron capture detection to detect diuron. The method was then evaluated for its accuracy, detection limit, and viability. The effects of extraction solvent, ultrasound time, and ultrasound power on the extraction efficiency of the analyte from sugarcane and soil were also investigated. The efficiency and optimum conditions of UAE were examined through single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken design (BBD). The optimal extraction conditions were identified as follows: acetonitrile as the extraction solvent, extraction temperature of 27 °C, extraction time of 3.4 min, and ultrasound power of 70 W. Under these conditions, high linearity was achieved for diuron concentrations of 0.01 to 5.0 mg/L, and the purification correlation coefficient was consistently greater than 0.998. Hence, gas chromatography, combined with UAE and BBD, offers superior efficiency extraction, which is sufficiently accurate and precise for pesticide residue analysis. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: We developed an accurate and cost-effective method for detecting diuron (a commonly used herbicide) in soil and sugar samples. We performed experiments to determine the optimum detection conditions for our method. This method can be used for online monitoring of sugar manufacturing processes to ensure food safety and quality.

Liquid-phase membrane extraction of targeted pesticides from manufacturing wastewaters in a hollow fibre contactor with feed-stream recycle

A two-phase membrane extraction in a hollow fibre contactor with feed-stream recycle was applied to remove selected pesticides (tebufenozide, linuron, imidacloprid, acetamiprid and dimethoate) from their mixed aqueous solutions. The contactor consisted of 50 polypropylene hollow fibres impregnated with 5% tri-n-octylphosphine oxide in di-n-hexyl ether. For low-polar pesticides with log P ≥ 2 (tebufenozide and linuron), the maximum removal efficiency increased linearly from 85% to 96% with increasing the feed flow rate. The maximum removal efficiencies of more polar pesticides were significantly higher under feed recirculation (86%) than in a continuous single-pass operation (30%). It was found from the Wilson's plot that the mass transfer resistance of the liquid membrane can be neglected for low-polar pesticides. The pesticide removals from commercial formulations were similar to those from pure pesticide solutions, indicating that built-in adjuvants did not affect the extraction process.

Determination of Hexachlorocyclohexane by Gas Chromatography Combined with Femtosecond Laser Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Structural isomers and enantiomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) were separated using a chiral column by gas chromatography and quantitatively determined by multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry using an ultraviolet femtosecond laser (200 and 267 nm) as the ionization source. The order of elution of the enantiomers (i.e., (+)-α-HCH and (-)-α-HCH) was predicted from stabilization energies calculated for the complexes using permethylated γ-cyclodextrin as the stationary phase of the column, and the results were compared with the experimental data. The molecular ions observed for HCH were weak, even though they can be ionized through a process of resonance enhanced two-photon ionization at 200 nm. This unfavorable result can be attributed to the dissociation of the molecular ion, as predicted from quantum chemical calculations. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Development of Hollow-Fiber Liquid-Phase Microextraction Method for Determination of Urinary trans,trans-Muconic Acid as a Biomarker of Benzene Exposure

For the first time, hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet was used to extract trans,trans-muconic acid, in urine samples of workers who had been exposed to benzene. The parameters affecting the metabolite extraction were optimized as follows: the volume of sample solution was 11 mL with pH 2, liquid membrane containing dihexyl ether as the supporter, 15% (w/v) of trioctylphosphine oxide as the carrier, the time of extraction was 120 minutes, and stirring rate was 500 rpm. Organic phase impregnated in the pores of a hollow fiber was extracted into 24 µL solution of 0.05 mol L⁻¹ Na₂CO₃ located inside the lumen of the fiber. Under optimized conditions, a high enrichment factor of 153–182 folds, relative recovery of 83%–92%, and detection limit of 0.001 µg mL⁻¹ were obtained. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of ttMA in real urine samples.

Ionic liquid coated magnetic core/shell Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles for the separation/analysis of linuron in food samples

Three hydrophobic ionic liquids (ILs) including 1-butyl-3-methylimidazole hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM]PF6), 1-hexyl-3-methyl-imidazole hexafluorophosphate ([HMIM]PF6), and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazole hexafluoro-phosphate ([OMIM]PF6) coated Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles with core-shell structure to prepare magnetic solid phase extraction agent (Fe3O4@SiO2@ILs) and establish a new method of magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) coupled with UV spectrometry for separation/analysis of linuron. The results showed that linuron was adsorbed rapidly by Fe3O4@SiO2@[OMIM]PF6 and eluanted by ethanol. Under the optimal conditions, preconcentration factor of the proposed method was 10-fold. The linear range, detection limit, correlation coefficient (R) and relative standard deviation (RSD) were found to be 0.04-20.00 μg mL(-1), 5.0 ng mL(-1), 0.9993 and 2.8% (n=3, c=4.00 μg mL(-1)), respectively. The Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles could be used repeatedly for 10 times. This proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of linuron in food samples.

An environmentally friendly method for the determination of triazine herbicides in estuarine seawater samples by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction

A fast, simple, sensitive and green chemistry method using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) for the simultaneous determination of seven triazine herbicides (ametryn, atrazine, cyanazine, propazine, simazine, simetryn and terbuthylazine) in estuarine seawater samples has been developed. DLLME was carried out using a small volume of seawater (25 mL) and 300 μL of 1-octanol. Herbicide concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-diode array detection, and results were confirmed by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation tandem spectrometry analysis. The analytical features of the proposed method were satisfactory with repeatability < ±5% and intermediate precision < ±10%, and recoveries ranged from 81-102% for all compounds. All the triazines exhibited linear matrix calibration curves with coefficients of determination >0.999 for all the analytes except for simazine (0.9975). Limits of quantification ranged between 0.19 and 1.12 μg L(-1). The method was applied to the analysis of seawater samples from ten points susceptible to contamination by triazines from estuary of A Coruña (Galicia, NW of Spain). The levels of the seven triazines were below the LODs in the analysed samples. Use of proposed method will allow for monitoring of triazines at levels below the regulatory limits set by the European Directive 2008/105/EC of 2 and 4 μg L(-1) for atrazine and simazine, respectively.

Use of electron ionization and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry for screening and identification of organic pollutants in waters

A new approach has been developed for multiclass screening of organic contaminants in water based on the use of gas chromatography coupled to hybrid quadrupole high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (GC-(APCI)QTOF MS). The soft ionization promoted by the APCI source allows effective and wide-scope screening based on the investigation of the molecular ion and/or protonated molecule. This is in contrast to electron ionization (EI) where ionization typically results in extensive fragmentation, and diagnostic ions and/or spectra need to be known a priori to facilitate detection of the analytes in the raw data. Around 170 organic contaminants from different chemical families were initially investigated by both approaches, i.e. GC-(EI)TOF and GC-(APCI)QTOF, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and a notable number of pesticides and relevant metabolites. The new GC-(APCI)QTOF MS approach easily allowed widening the number of compounds investigated (85 additional compounds), with more pesticides, personal care products (UV filters, musks), polychloronaphthalenes (PCNs), antimicrobials, insect repellents, etc., most of them considered as emerging contaminants. Both GC-(EI)TOF and GC-(APCI)QTOF methodologies have been applied, evaluating their potential for a wide-scope screening in the environmental field.

Vortex-assisted ionic liquid based liquid-liquid microextraction of selected pesticides from a manufacturing wastewater sample

The ionic liquid based vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-VALLME) procedure was developed and validated for determination of four pesticides in a manufacturing wastewater sample: acetamiprid, imidacloprid, linuron and tebufenozide. The following ILs were tested as extractants: 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, and 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate. The extraction efficiency and the enrichment factor dependencies on the type and amount of ionic liquids, extraction and centrifugation time, volume, pH and the ionic strength of the sample, were investigated. The concentration of pesticides in the aqueous and IL phases was determined by HPLC-DAD. The optimal conditions for extraction of the pesticides were determined: the aqueous sample volume of 10 mL with the addition of 0.58 g NaCl, 40 µL of the 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide as extractant, 2 min extraction under vigorous mixing applying the vortex agitator, and separation of the phases by centrifugation for 2 min at 1000 rpm. The calibration curves of the pesticides showed good linear relationship (r2 ≥ 0.9996) in the concentration range from 0.005 to 1.00 mg L−1. Determined LOD values are 1.8, 2.3, 4.8 and 8.6 µg L−1 for Tebf, Linr, Acet and Imid, respectively. The optimized IL-VALLME was applied for determination of the pesticides in the pesticide manufacturing wastewater.

Application of a developed method for the extraction of triazines in surface waters and storage prior to analysis to seawaters of Galicia (northwest Spain)

A simple method based on solid-phase extraction combined with liquid chromatography for simultaneous determination of nine triazine herbicides (ametryn, atrazine, cyanazine, prometryn, propazine, simazine, simetryn, terbuthylazine, and terbutryn) in surface water samples was developed and validated. Under optimized conditions, 50 mL of water sample was pumped through the Oasis HLB cartridge, and triazines were eluted with 3 mL acetone. Finally the extract was concentrated to dryness, reconstituted with 1 mL methanol : water (1 : 1) and injected into the HPLC-DAD system. The stability of the herbicides on the cartridges at −18 and 4°C was also evaluated, and the recoveries obtained after three weeks of storage were satisfactory for all compounds. The analytical features of the proposed method were satisfactory: repeatability and intermediate precision were <10% and recoveries in spiked river water and seawater samples were higher than 93% for all compounds studied. Limits of quantification (varied from 0.46 to 0.98 µg L⁻¹) were adequately allowing the determination of these compounds at the levels requested by the 2008/105/EC Directive. Finally, this method was applied to the analysis of 50 seawater samples from Galicia (northwest Spain).

Determination of pesticide residues in ginseng by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A procedure involving acetonitrile-based extraction combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) and detection by ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was used for determination of 39 pesticides in ginseng. The extraction of pesticide residues in ginseng was performed with acetonitrile, applying QuEChERS methodology, and the extract was further disposed by DLLME method before analyzed by UHPLC-MS/MS. The average recoveries ranged from 70 to 120% for 82% of the analytes with RSD lower than 15%. The calibration curves obtained with blank matrices were linear with a correlation coefficient of over 0.99. The limits of detection were between 0.01 and 1.0μg/kg. Matrix effects were studied by comparing solvent calibration curves and matrix-matched calibration curves. The results indicate the feasibility of this method for the determination of 39 pesticides in ginseng.

Use of time-of-flight mass spectrometry for large screening of organic pollutants in surface waters and soils from a rice production area in Colombia

The irrigate district of Usosaldaña, an important agricultural area in Colombia mainly devoted to rice crop production, is subjected to an intensive use of pesticides. Monitoring these compounds is necessary to know the impact of phytosanitary products in the different environmental compartments. In this work, surface water and soil samples from different sites of this area have been analyzed by applying an analytical methodology for large screening based on the use of time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS) hyphenated to liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC). Several pesticides were detected and unequivocally identified, such as the herbicides atrazine, diuron or clomazone. Some of their main metabolites and/or transformation products (TPs) like deethylatrazine (DEA), deisopropylatrazine (DIA) and 3,4-dichloroaniline were also identified in the samples. Among fungicides, carbendazim, azoxystrobin, propiconazole and epoxiconazole were the most frequently detected. Insecticides such as thiacloprid, or p,p'-DDT metabolites (p,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDE) were also found. Thanks to the accurate-mass full-spectrum acquisition in TOF MS it was feasible to widen the number of compounds to be investigated to other families of contaminants. This allowed the detection of emerging contaminants, such as the antioxidant 3,5-di-tertbutyl-4-hydroxy-toluene (BHT), its metabolite 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-benzaldehyde (BHT-CHO), or the solar filter benzophenone, among others.