Simplified multiresidue method for liquid chromatographic determination of N-methyl carbamate insecticides in fruits and vegetables

A simplified method is described for determining 7 N-methyl carbamates (aldicarb, carbaryl, carbofuran, methiocarb, methomyl, oxamyl, and propoxur) and 3 related metabolites (aldicarb sulfoxide, aldicarb sulfone, and 3-hydroxy carbofuran) in fruits and vegetables. Residues are extracted from crops with methanol; coextractives are then separated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) or GPC with on-line Nuchar-Celite cleanup for crops with high chlorophyll and/or carotene content (e.g., cabbage and broccoli). Carbamates are separated on a reverse-phase liquid chromatography column, using a methanol-water gradient mobile phase. Separation is followed by postcolumn hydrolysis to yield methylamine, and the formation of a fluorophore with o-phthalaldehyde and 2-mercaptoethanol prior to fluorescence detection. Recovery data were obtained by fortifying 5 different crops (apples, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, and potatoes) at 0.05 and 0.5 ppm. Recoveries averaged 93% at both fortification levels except for the very polar aldicarb sulfoxide for which recoveries averaged around 52% at both levels. The coefficient of variation of the method at both levels is less than 5% and the limit of detection, defined at 5 times baseline noise, varies between 5 and 10 ppb, depending on the compound.     

Sulfite analysis of fruits and vegetables by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet spectrophotometric detection

Free and total sulfite were analyzed in acidified vegetable products, instant mashed potatoes, and dried apples. Sulfite was separated by HPLC and quantified with a UV-vis detector. Resolution from components of food samples was achieved by varying the acid concentration of the eluant solution and by appropriate choice of the analytical wavelength. The minimum detectable levels for sulfite were 0.5 mg/L for a 10-cm analytical column and 1.5 mg/L for a 30-cm column. For analyses done with a 30-cm column, the coefficient of variation was <2% for analysis of free sulfite and total sulfite in acidified vegetables. For dried apples and instant potatoes, it ranged from 1 to 6.5%. The corresponding analytical errors were <4% and 1.2-5.6%, respectively, for the 10-cm column.     

GC/MIP/AED method for pesticide residue determination in fruits and vegetables.

This research describes the results of a gas chromatography/microwave induced plasma/atomic emission detection (GC/MIP/AED) method performed on a Hewlett-Packard 5921A system for pesticide residue analysis in fruits and vegetables. A total of 6 experiments were conducted: (1) sensitivity and linearity studies for elements S, P, Cl, and N by analyzing dursban; (2) a study of instrument response to Cl concentration in pesticide molecules; (3) organochlorinated pesticide recoveries; (4) organophosphate pesticide recoveries; (5) carbamate pesticide recoveries; and (6) investigation of metallic pesticides with plictran and vendex as standards. The rank according to sensitivity and linearity was found to be as follows: S-181 greater than P-178 greater than Cl-479 greater than N-174. Instrument response to the concentration of chlorine atoms in the pesticide molecule was linear, with a correlation coefficient of 0.89. Recoveries of organochlorinated pesticides were 91.7-109.3%, with the exception of citrus, whose recovery was affected by coeluting interferences. Organophosphate recoveries were 73.2% or higher, except for the cygon oxygen analog, which degraded in the GC system under all circumstances. Carbamate recoveries were inconsistent quantitatively; however, the information generated from elements N and S were useful for qualitative confirmation of other methods, such as LC postcolumn derivatization analysis. Overall, the GC/MIP/AED method is powerful for qualitative confirmation in pesticide residue analysis. The instrument's capability of acquiring multi-elements (Cl and P) selectively and accurately is an alternative method for organochlorinated and organophosphate pesticide residue analyses. In addition, the GC/MIP/AED system is easy to use, simple to maintain, and its chromatograms can be interpreted by any chromatography analyst without much prior training.     

A mass spectrometric validated high-performance liquid chromatography procedure for the determination of folates in foods

A series of five food reference materials (RM) that had certified values of folate concentrations and five frozen food samples were analyzed for 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid (5-MTHFA) and folic acid (FA) using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with fluorescence detection that was validated using an HPLC mass spectrometry (MS) method with electrospray ionization. Identical sample specimens were extracted and analyzed in triplicate using both instrumental methods, and a comparison was made of the mean values of 5-MTHFA and FA resulting from these determinations. The analytes were isolated on either a high capacity strong anion exchange solid phase extraction column (HPLC method) or a phenyl Bond Elut column (MS method) prior to analyses. For quantification of the analytes by MS, (13)C-labeled 5-MTHFA and FA were added to samples as internal standards prior to enzymatic digestion and conversion of the polyglutamate forms of 5-MTHFA to the monoglutamic acid. Quantification of FA and 5-MTHFA using the HPLC analysis was carried out using external standards. With the exception of one RM (pig liver), the values established for 5-MTHFA using these methods were highly comparable. In determining the variance associated with these two procedures, it was observed that the mean relative standard error for 5-MTHFA was 12 (range, 2-27%) and 11% (range, 5-25%) for the HPLC and MS methods, respectively. FA was detected in only three of the samples, and the values obtained for it by either method were similar. This is the first paper that describes a mass spectrometric method used in the validation of an HPLC determination of food folates across a wide range of sample matrixes. The comparable values for 5-MTHFA and FA suggest that HPLC analysis with fluorescent detection may be used to accurately quantify folates present in a variety of food matrixes.     

Improved normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography procedure for the determination of carotenoids in cereals

Besides the health benefits associated with whole-grain consumption, cereals are recognized sources of health-enhancing bioactive components such as carotenoids, which are a group of yellow pigments involved in the prevention of many degenerative diseases and which have been used for a long time as indicators of the color quality of durum wheat and pasta products. This work reports a fast, sensitive, and selective procedure for the extraction and determination of carotenoids from cereals and cereal byproducts. The method involves sample saponification and extraction followed by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, allowing the separation of the main carotenoids pigments of cereals, especially lutein and zeaxanthin. An application of the established method to various species of cereals and cereal byproducts is also shown. The highest carotenoid levels were found in maize (approximately 11.14 mg/kg of dry weight), which contains high amounts of beta-cryptoxanthin (2.40 mg/kg of dry weight), and, among the cereals considered, has the highest content of zeaxanthin (6.43 mg/kg of dry weight) and alpha+beta-carotene (1.44 mg/kg of dry weight). With the exception of maize, lutein is the main compound found (from 0.23 to 2.65 mg/kg of dry weight in oat and durum wheat, respectively). Moreover, whereas alpha+beta-carotene and zeaxanthin are principally localized in the germ, lutein is equally distributed along the kernel.     

A simplified procedure for the determination of total mercury in soils

Abstract

A saraimplified procedure for the measurement of total mercury in soils and some preliminary results for Saskatchewan are presented. Soil samoles were digested in aqua regia at low temperatures, followed by determination of Hg with a simplified flameless atomic absorption technique. Hg levels in soils analyzed ranged from 0.003 to 0.071 ug/g.     

Rapid extraction and high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of parthenolide in feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium).

A rapid and sensitive method for quantifying parthenolide in feverfew herb (Tanacetum parthenium) was developed that is significantly faster than those reported in the literature. The extraction system consisted of acetonitrile/water (90:10, v/v) in a bottle with stirring for 30 min. Both Soxhlet and bottle-stirring extractions were studied. Samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with a Cosmosil C18-AR column (150 x 4.6 mm, 5 microm, 120 A). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile/water (55:45, v/v) with a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min and UV detection at 210 nm. Analysis time was 6 min, with a detection limit of 0.10 ng on column. The calibration curve was linear over a range of 0.160-850 microg/mL parthenolide with R(2) = 0.9999. Replicate tests indicated good reproducibility of the method with an RSD% = 0.88 (n = 10). Spike recovery of parthenolide was found to be 99.3% with an RSD% = 1.6 (n = 6).     

New method for ethephon ((2-chloroethyl)phosphonic acid) residue analysis,and detection of residual levels in the fruit and vegetables of Western Japan

A new method for the detection and quantification of ethephon residues in fruit and vegetables was developed. The present study indicates that fruit and vegetables require a rapid and simple cleanup step before using gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry. The recovery and precision of the new method were evaluated by spiking the fruit and vegetable samples with 0.01-0.1 microg/g of ethephon. The amount of ethephon residue can be determined with good accuracy (recovery, 78.6-109%; coefficient variation, 2.65-6.41%), and the detection limit, defined as the amount of ethephon equivalent to three standard deviations (SD) of the noise level in observations at the baseline level of the selected ion (m/z 110), was 4 pg. The determination limit, defined as the equivalent to 8 SD of the noise level, was 11 pg. The working range was between 10 and 1000 ng/mL, and the correlation coefficient was 0.999 in the five experiments. Ethephon residues were determined between <2 and 97 ng/g in commercial pineapples from Western Japan.     

A simplified method for the gas-liquid chromatographic determination of methyl mercury in fish and shellfish.

A simple acetone wash of the fish sample which removes lipids and other organic materials replaces the cystein cleanup specified in other methods. Methyl mercury is freed by hydrochloric acid, extracted into benzene, and determined with a gas-liquid chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector. The method is quantitative for methyl mercury levels as low as 0.10 ppm in fish and shellfish. Ethyl mercury chloride may be used as an internal standard to detect unsuspected error or instrumental parameter variation.     

Validation of a monoclonal enzyme immunoassay for the determination of carbofuran in fruits and vegetables

The N-methylcarbamate pesticide carbofuran is a very important insecticide used worldwide. In the present work, the validation of a monoclonal antibody-based enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) to determine this compound in fruits and vegetables is described. The immunoassay is a competitive heterologous ELISA in the antibody-coated format, with an I(50) value for standards in buffer of 740 ng/L and with a dynamic range between 200 and 3100 ng/L. For recovery studies, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, tomatoes, potatoes, oranges, and apples were spiked with carbofuran at 10, 50, and 200 ppb. After liquid extraction, analyses were performed by ELISA on extracts purified on solid-phase extraction (SPE) columns and crude, nonpurified extracts. Depending on the crop, mean recoveries in the 43.9--90.7% range were obtained for purified samples and in the 90.1--121.6% range for crude extracts. The carbofuran immunoassay performance was further validated with respect to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with postcolumn derivatization and fluorescence detection (EPA Method 531.1). Samples were spiked with carbofuran at several concentrations and analyzed as blind samples by ELISA and HPLC after SPE cleanup. The correlation between methods was very good (y = 0.90x + 2.66, r(2)() = 0.958, n = 25), with HPLC being more precise than ELISA (mean coefficients of variation of 4.1 and 11.5%, respectively). The immunoassay was then applied to the analysis of nonpurified extracts of the same samples. Results also compared very well with those obtained by HPLC on purified samples (y = 1.02x + 10.44, r(2)() = 0.933, n = 29). Therefore, the developed immunoassay is a suitable method for the quantitative and reliable determination of carbofuran in fruits and vegetables even without sample cleanup, which saves time and money and considerably increases the sample throughput.     

Cell bioassay for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP): comparison with postcolumn derivatization liquid chromatographic analysis and application to the monitoring of PSP in shellfish

We performed a neuroblastoma cell (Neuro2a) culture assay modified slightly from a method reported previously to provide a simple and sensitive evaluation of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxicity in shellfish. The cell bioassay was just as sensitive for C-toxins as for gonyautoxins. The sensitivity of our cell bioassay was 4 times that of the current standard mouse bioassay. Using the cell bioassay, we evaluated PSP toxicity in 361 shellfish samples collected from Mikawa Bay and Ise Bay, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, from April 1999-March 2002. The results were compared with those obtained in a postcolumn derivatization liquid chromatographic analysis. PSP toxins were detected in 236/361 samples by both assays, and there was a fairly good correlation (r = 0.9001, n = 236, p < 0.001) between the results from the two assays. We applied this cell bioassay when short-necked clams in the bay turned poisonous in 2001. The chronological changes in PSP toxicity in the short-necked clams were analyzed and compared with those of the cell density of poisonous plankton (Alexandrium tamarense) occurring in the bay. The PSP toxicity in shellfish peaked 2 weeks after the cell density reached a maximum. We recommend using the cell bioassay for routine monitoring of PSP toxicity in shellfish living in natural marine environments.     

Supercritical fluid extraction and high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of phloroglucinols in St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.)

A small-scale supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) method was developed for the selective extraction of phloroglucinols from St. John's wort (SJW) leaf/flower mixtures using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO(2)). The extraction efficiency was investigated as influenced by pressure, temperature, time, and modifier. The optimized condition of SFE was carried out at 3.80 x 10(4) kpa (5500 psi) and 50 degrees C. Samples were held in static extraction for 10 min, followed by a dynamic extraction for 90 min at the flow rate of 1 mL/min. A simple and sensitive HPLC method was developed for the analysis of hyperforin and adhyperforin, the major phloroglucinols, in the SFE extract of SJW.     

High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of 4,4'-(diazoamino)-dibenzenesulfonic acid in FD&C yellow no. 6.

Fourteen analysts from 9 laboratories evaluated a high pressure liquid chromatographic procedure for the determination of 4,4'-(diazoamino)-dibenzenesulfonic acid (DAADBSA) in FD&C Yellow No. 6. Each collaborator analyzed 5 samples nominally containing 0-0.050% DAADBSA. The repeatability and reproducibility of the method are estimated to be 0.003% and 0.020%, respectively. The method has been adopted as offical fist action.     

Analysis of methoxyfenozide residues in fruits, vegetables, and mint by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

Methoxyfenozide [3-methoxy-2-methylbenzoic acid 2-(3,5-dimethylbenzoyl)-2-(1,1-dimethylethyl) hydrazide; RH-2485], in the formulation of INTREPID, was applied to various crops. Analysis of methoxyfenozide was accomplished by utilizing liquid-liquid extraction and partitioning, followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Method validations for fruits, vegetables, and mint are reported. Methoxyfenozide mean recoveries ranged from 72 to 129% over three levels of fortification. The overall average of mean recoveries is 97 +/- 10%. The limit of quantitation for fruits, artichoke, cucumber, squash, and refined sugar was 0.010 ppm, with a detection limit of 0.005 ppm. For all other crops, the limit of quantitation was 0.050 ppm, with a detection limit of 0.025 ppm. No residues were found greater than the limit of quantitation in control samples. Residues above the limit of quantitation were found in all matrices except refined sugar. Foliage (bean, beet, pea, and radish) had greater residue levels of methoxyfenozide residue than their corresponding roots or pods. Other crop matrices contained <1.0 ppm of methoxyfenozide except artichoke, which had a mean of 1.10 ppm.     

Determination of the phytoalexin resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) in peanuts and pistachios by high-performance liquid chromatographic diode array (HPLC-DAD) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)

The phytoalexin resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) in edible peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) varieties grown in Turkey was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatographic diode array and gas chromatography-mass spectrometric detection. trans-Resveratrol in six peanut varieties, five pistachio varieties, and four market samples ranged between 0.03 and 1.92 microg/g. The Cerezlik 5025 peanut (1.92 +/- 0.01 microg/g) and Ohadi pistachio genotype (1.67 +/- 0.01 microg/g) had significantly higher trans-resveratrol contents. Peanuts contained 0.03-1.92 microg/g (av = 0.84 microg/g) of trans-resveratrol, whereas pistachio contained 0.09-1.67 microg/g (av = 1.15 microg/g). With exposure to UV light for 1 min, trans-resveratrol concentrations of samples ranged from 0.02 to 1.47 microg/g and those of cis-resveratrol from 0.008 to 0.32 microg/g. The occurrence of resveratrol in peanut and pistachio was confirmed by total ion chromatograms (TIC) of bis[trimethylsilyl]trifluoroacetamide derivatives of resveratrol isomers and comparison of the mass spectral fragmentation data with those of a resveratrol standard. Formation of the cis-isomer in pistachios was higher than in peanuts.     

Separation and identification of phenolic compounds in olive oil by coupling high-performance liquid chromatography with postcolumn solid-phase extraction to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (LC-SPE-NMR)

This study reports the first application of the hyphenated LC-SPE-NMR technique using postcolumn solid-phase extraction to the direct analysis of phenolic compounds in the polar part of olive oil. Apart from the identification and structure elucidation of simple phenols (hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, vanillic acid, vanillin, p-coumaric acid, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol acetates), lignans (pinoresinol and 1-acetoxypinoresinol), flavonoids (apigenin and luteolin), and a large number of secoiridoid derivatives, this technique enables the identification of several new phenolic components, which had not been reported previously as constituents in the polar part of olive oil.