Simplified pesticide multiresidue analysis of soybean oil by low-temperature cleanup and dispersive solid-phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Abstract

A simple, fast, and economical method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of 28 various types of pesticides in soybean oil. Pesticides of low molecular mass were separated from the fat of the oil, which has a high molecular mass, by using low-temperature fat precipitation, followed by a cleanup process based on dispersive solid-phase extraction with primary secondary amine and C18 as sorbents and magnesium sulfate for the removal of residual water. The results for all pesticides determined by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry in the selected-ion monitoring mode were linear, and the matrix effect of the method was evaluated. Recoveries of most pesticides were acceptable at fortification levels of 0.02, 0.05, 0.2, and 1 mg/kg. The relative standard deviation was <20% even for determinations without internal standards. Limits of quantitation ranged from 20 to 250 μg/kg.