A comparison of the determination of multiple pesticide residues in fruits, vegetables, and edible fungi using gas chromatography combined with filtration purification and solid-phase extraction

Abstract

The multiplug filtration clean-up (m-PFC) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) pretreatment methods were employed to process 8 representative matrices in fruits, vegetables, and edible fungi, respectively. 37 pesticide residues were determined using gas chromatography equipped with ECD and FPD detectors. The measurement data were compared and analyzed following m-PFC purification and gas chromatography analysis, and both accuracy and precision met the (EU) 2021/808 requirements, achieving recovery rates for the 8 matrices ranging from 67.0% to 112.8% (averaging over 83.8% recovery), and RSDs between 0.2% and 15.2%. The 37 pesticides exhibited good linearity between 0.05 and 1.6 μg mL⁻¹, and the matrix effect was found to be weaker compared to that of the Florisil solid-phase extraction method. The detection limits ranged from 0.0001 to 0.03 μg kg⁻¹, with 31 pesticides showing lower detection limits compared to the SPE method. The application of this method to 150 real samples resulted in the detection of 17 pesticides across all samples. Fewer pigments were detected in m-PFC purified solutions compared to Florisil PR SPE when analyzed by liquid chromatography. m-PFC achieved more thorough adsorption of endogenous substances like pigments, reducing instrument contamination, utilizing less organic solvent, and simplifying the operation. This purification step offers clear advantages, allowing for the processing of larger sample batches in a short time. It can serve as a replacement for SPE methods like Florisi PR in batch detection of fruit and vegetable samples.