A preconcentration method for analysis of neonicotinoids in honey samples by ionic liquid-based cold-induced...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Chemistry
• Food Chemistry

Background:

• Neonicotinoid insecticides pose risks to food safety and environmental health.
• Accurate determination of insecticide residues in complex matrices like honey is crucial.
• Existing methods may lack efficiency or require extensive sample preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and optimize an ionic liquid-based cold-induced aggregation microextraction technique.
• To determine neonicotinoid insecticide residues in honey samples.
• To validate the method for sensitive and reliable analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Main Methods:

• Utilized room temperature ionic liquid [C4MIM][PF6] as the extraction solvent and SDS as an emulsifier.
• Optimized parameters including ionic liquid volume, SDS concentration, sodium carbonate amount, vortex agitation, and centrifugation.
• Employed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the final determination of analytes.

Main Results:

• Achieved high enrichment factors (up to 200) and low limits of detection (0.01 µg/L).
• Demonstrated good recoveries (86-100%) for spiked neonicotinoids in honey samples.
• Reported low relative standard deviations for retention time (<2.68%) and peak area (<5.38%).

Conclusions:

• The developed ionic liquid-based microextraction method is a powerful alternative for simultaneous determination of neonicotinoid insecticides in honey.
• The method offers high sensitivity, efficiency, and reliability for food safety monitoring.
• This approach simplifies sample preparation and enhances analytical performance.