Simple preprocessing method for multi-determination of 235 pesticide residues in cooked ingredients of foods by GC/MS and LC/MS/MS

A simple preprocessing method was developed for multiresidue determination of pesticides in processed agricultural products. Residues were extracted from homogenized samples with acetonitrile in a glass centrifuge tube, followed by salting-out and partitioning with n-hexane. Co-extractives were removed by means of mini-column clean up. Analysis was performed by GC/MS and LC/MS/MS. The prepared sample solutions were examined for matrix effects. Matrix effects had both positive and negative effects on quantitative value. Calibration was achieved by preparing matrix-matched calibration standards to counteract the matrix effects. Of the 235 pesticides spiked at 0.05 or 0.10 mu g/g (Method GC), 0.025 or 0.05 mu g/g (Method LC) into 8 foods (garlic paste, diced green sweet pepper, green peas paste, celery paste, sweet potato paste, dried adzuki beans, boiled bamboo shoots, tomato paste), recoveries of 214 pesticides were between 50 and 100% and the coefficient of variation was below 20%. This method is useful as a multi-residue analysis method for screening of pesticides in foods.