Analysis of multiclass pesticides in dried fruits using QuEChERS-gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

In this work, three versions of the QuEChERS method (original, AOAC 2007.01 and CEN 15662) were evaluated for the extraction of 38 multiclass pesticides from a mixture of five dried fruits: (strawberry, blackberry, passion fruit, pineapple and grapes) prior to their gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Among them, the AOAC 2007.01 method provided the best results in terms of lower amount of matrix co-extractives, matrix effect, extraction efficiency and precision. Its application to the analysis of the same pesticides in the individual dried fruits provided good recovery (between 70 and 120%) and relative standard deviation values (<20%) for most pesticides at three spiked levels. Matrix effect assessment revealed the necessity of taking into account such effect. Matrix-matched calibration data were also satisfactory for all analytes and matrices being the R2 ≥ 0.9900 and the lowest calibration level 5 µg/kg, which is lower than the agreed limit set at 10 µg/kg for monitoring purposes in food applications. Three samples of each type were also analysed, finding residues of metalaxyl, chlorpyrifos and iprodione in some of them.