Multiresidue method for the determination of residues of 251 pesticides in fruits and vegetables by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

A method is described for the determination of 251 pesticide and degradation product residues in fruit and vegetable samples. Extraction of the sample with acetonitrile is followed by a salting-out step. Co-extractives are removed by passing a portion of the acetonitrile extract through an octadecyl (C18) solid-phase extraction cleanup cartridge and then, in a second cleanup, through a carbon cartridge coupled to an amino propyl cartridge. Determination is by gas chromatography with mass-selective detection in the selected-ion monitoring mode, and by liquid chromatography with post-column reaction and fluorescence detection for N-methyl carbamates. The method has been used for analysis of various fruits and vegetables, such as apple, banana, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, lettuce, orange, pear, pepper, and pineapple. Limits of detection range between 0.02 and 1.0 mg/kg for most compounds. Over 80% of the compounds have a limit of detection of < or = 0.04 mg/kg.