Determining pyroxasulfone herbicide in honey samples using liquid-liquid extraction with low temperature purification (LLE-LTP)

Pyroxasulfone is a selective, systemic, pre-emergence herbicide which acts to inhibit weeds in potato, coffee, sugar cane, eucalyptus, and soybean plantations, among others. This active ingredient was classified by Brazilian legislation as a very dangerous product for the environment, and to date there are no studies involving the development of extraction methods for monitoring this compound in environmental matrices. Therefore, the objective of this study was to optimize and validate liquid-liquid extraction with low temperature purification followed by a gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry analysis to determine this herbicide in honey samples. The results showed that the best extractor phase was acetonitrile and ethyl acetate (6.5 mL:1.5 mL), with recovery rates close to 100% and relative standard deviations below 11%. The validation proved that the extraction method was selective, precise, accurate and linear in the range of 3-225 μg kg-1, reaching a limit of quantification of 3 μg kg-1, with a -25.95% matrix effect. Monitoring on real samples did not reveal episodes of environmental contamination with pyroxasulfone residue.

Effect of Mauritia flexuosa L. leaf extract on Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus haemolyticus biofilms adhered to stainless steel surface

Staphylococcus spp. represents the main mastitis agents in ruminants and contaminants of milk due to their expressive capacity to make biofilms. The aims in this study was evaluate evaluated the antimicrobial activity of Mauritia flexuosa L. extracts against Staphylococcus spp. adhered to a stainless steel surface. Two isolates from cows with clinical mastitis were evaluated; one was identified as Staphylococcus aureus, and the other Staphylococcus haemolyticus. Additionally the ATCC 25923 strain, S. aureus from human was evaluated. The chemical profile obtained from gas chromatography revealed the presence of carbohydrates, organic acids, and flavonoids. The minimum bactericidal concentrations of the ethanolic extract (EE) and aqueous extract (AE) were 4.4 and 5.82 mg/mL, respectively. After EE treatment at 4.4 mg/mL for 2.5 min, total removal of mature biofilms grown on stainless steel coupons was observed (reduction by 3.85-4.81 log units). This extract from M. flexuosa shows potential as an effective sanitizer and may represent a natural alternative against Staphylococcus spp.

Optimization and validation of liquid-liquid extraction with low-temperature purification (LLE-LTP) for determining fluopyram fungicide in water samples using HPLC-DAD

Fluopyram is a fungicide and nematicide that belongs to the chemical group of benzamides, which act as succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) on the mitochondrial respiratory chain of fungi. Despite being well known in several countries, there are few studies involving the optimization and validation of extraction methods for determining fluopyram in water samples. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize and validate liquid-liquid extraction with low-temperature purification (LLE-LTP) to determine fluopyram fungicide in water samples using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). A two-level full factorial design was employed to optimize LLE-LTP which enabled achieving a recovery rate close to 100% and relative standard deviations (RSD) < 10.0%. The validation showed that the extraction method may be considered selective, precise, accurate, and linear in the range of 6.0 to 200 μg L^-1. The LOD and LOQ were 4.0 and 6.0 μg L^-1, respectively, proving the efficiency of this method for trace level determination of this fungicide in water samples. LLE-LTP coupled to HLPC-DAD analysis showed a matrix effect of less than 8% and it was applied in monitoring 20 environmental water samples, but no fluopyram residue was detected in the samples.

Determination of DDT in honey samples by liquid-liquid extraction with low-temperature purification (LLE-LTP) combined to HPLC-DAD

Honey is widely consumed worldwide, however, this food can be contaminated by chemical contaminants, such as the insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). Despite legal restrictions on DDT use, this organochlorine pesticide has been detected in honey collected in several developed and developing countries, representing risks to human health, animals, and the environment due to its high environmental persistence, potential carcinogenicity, and ecotoxicological effects. Thus, the development of an analytical method for DDT monitoring in this matrix is important to ensure food security. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize and validate a simple, low-cost, and efficient method using the liquid-liquid extraction with low-temperature purification (LLE-LTP) to determine DDT in honey samples by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). The proposed method was validated according to SANTE guidelines, being considered selective, precise, accurate, and linear in the range of 8.0-160 μg kg^-1. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) achieved were 4.0 and 8.0 μg kg^-1, respectively. This LOQ value is lower than the maximum residue limit established by the Brazilian and European Union legislation. Therefore, the LLE-LTP combined to HPLC-DAD allows the routine analysis of DDT in honey samples and can be widely applied in studies to monitor this pesticide, especially in developing countries, where DDT use is still allowed.

Determinação de resíduo de bifentrina em banana após a colheita e na água de lavagem

Resumo Na bananicultura, o uso de sacos impregnados por inseticida e a lavagem das pencas são técnicas que visam à qualidade dos frutos. Objetivou-se monitorar, por cromatografia em fase gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas, resíduo de bifentrina em bananas lavadas e não lavadas em tanques, assim como na água de lavagem dos frutos. Desde a emissão até a colheita, os cachos foram protegidos com sacos impregnados por bifentrina a 1,0 g kg-1, os quais foram retirados após a colheita, para despencamento e lavagem ou não das pencas em tanques com água, detergente e sulfato de alumínio. Os métodos Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, Safe Method - QuEChERS e Extração Líquido – Líquido com Partição a Baixa Temperatura - ELL – PBT foram utilizados para extrair resíduo de bifentrina dos frutos no ponto de colheita e maduros, e da água, respectivamente. As porcentagens de recuperação de bifentrina foram 88,16%, 103,4% e 89,32%, na casca, na polpa e em casca + polpa, respectivamente, atendendo à legislação brasileira. No ponto de colheita, na casca e na casca + polpa dos frutos lavados, detectou-se 0,060 mg kg-1 e 0,010 mg kg-1, respectivamente. Quando não lavados, a concentração de bifentrina, na casca, foi de 0,31 mg kg-1 e de 0,16 mg kg-1, na casca + polpa. Não foi detectado resíduo de bifentrina na polpa, independente do estádio de maturação e lavagem, tampouco na água de lavagem. Em frutos maduros não lavados, foram quantificado 0,10 mg kg-1 e 0,040 mg kg1 de bifentrina na casca e em casca + polpa, respectivamente. A lavagem não elimina, mas reduz o resíduo de bifentrina na casca dos frutos no ponto de colheita e, quando maduros, somente os não lavados apresentam resíduo.