Multiresidue analysis of neonicotinoids by solid-phase extraction technique using high-performance liquid...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Pesticide residue monitoring is crucial for food safety and agricultural quality control.
• Cotton seed cake (CSC) is a significant agricultural commodity requiring robust analytical methods for contaminant assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a multiresidue analytical method for pesticide detection in cotton seed cake.
• To establish an efficient extraction and screening technique for neonicotinoid residues in CSC.

Main Methods:

• Solid-phase extraction (SPE) was employed for sample preparation.
• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with reversed-phase was used for residue determination.
• Aqueous acetone under vacuum was used for sample extraction, followed by hexane washing and acetonitrile elution during SPE.

Main Results:

• Average percentage recoveries ranged from 65.47% to 110% at spiking levels of 10-40 mg/kg.
• The method demonstrated successful extraction and screening capabilities for neonicotinoid residues.
• Specific detection limits were established: 5 mg/kg for imidacloprid, 10 mg/kg for acetamiprid, and 20 mg/kg for thiacloprid.

Conclusions:

• The developed SPE-HPLC method is suitable for routine monitoring of pesticide residues in cotton seed cake.
• This method provides reliable recovery rates and can be effectively utilized for screening neonicotinoid contamination in CSC.