Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution for Pesticide Residues Analysis by Fast GC-MS

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M. Kirchner, S. Ondreková, and E. Matisová

Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia

 

The aim of this study was to estimate the lowest concentration of pesticide residues in non-fatty food matrix at which the residues can be successfully identified by automatic spectral deconvolution software AMDIS. For GC-MS measurements fast GC with narrow capillary column was utilized. For a mixture of 18 pesticides, the identification was successful at concentration levels 4–0.4 mg kg−1 in real matrix samples (apples). With decreasing concentration, the number of identified pesticides and the quality of deconvoluted spectra decreased. The calculated limits of full-scan detection ranged from 0.20 ng for chlorpyrifos to 1.10 ng for captan. Software AMDIS with the used experimental set-up is not sufficiently sensitive for reliable identification of pesticide residues in non-fatty food matrices with low maximal residual limits (e.g. baby food 0.01 mg kg−1).

 

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