Determination of Pesticides in Chinese Dumplings Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

A rapid and easy multiresidue method for determination of pesticide residues in Chinese dumplings using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been developed. Pesticide residues were extracted with ethyl acetate in the presence of anhydrous magnesium sulfate in a disposable tube using a homogenizer. The extract was concentrated and reconstituted in hexane, followed by acetonitrile-hexane partition to remove lipids. The acetonitrile layer was purified with a double-layered cartridge column (graphite carbon black/primary secondary amine silica gel). After removal of the solvent, the extract was resolved in methanol/water and analyzed with LC-MS/MS. Recovery tests of 99 pesticide residues from Chinese dumpling were performed at 20 and 100 ng/g, and 72 pesticides exhibited acceptable recoveries (70-120%) with low relative standard deviations (<20%) at both concentrations. The time for sample preparation with 12 samples to test solutions was approximately 6 hr. This method could be useful for determination of pesticide residues in the Chinese dumplings.