Overcoming matrix effects in the analysis of pyrethroids in honey by a fully automated direct immersion solid-phase
João Raul Belinato1, Jonathan J Grandy2, Abir Khaled2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada; Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-970, Brazil and National Institute of Science and Technology in Bioanalysis (INCTBio).
Abstract:
Pyrethroids insecticides may constitute a major hazard to honeybees, leading to colony collapse disorder. However, the determination of pyrethroids in honey has remained a challenging undertaking for analysts to date due to the high complexity of this matrix as well as the MRLs. This paper presents a fully automated method to overcome matrix influences using matrix-compatible overcoated SPME fiber for quantitative analysis of pyrethroids in diluted honey by GC-MS. The developed method was optimized using a multivariate approach providing LOQ values much lower than the stablished MRL (0.10-10 ng/g), while granting satisfactory linearity (R2 > 0.998) in a wide linear range of 0.1-2000 ng/g, repeatability with RSDs < 10%, reproducibility RSDs < 20%, and accuracy ranging from 75 to 118% and from 82 to 120 % for inter-day and intra-day assays, respectively by using five replicates. The method herein proposed overcomes challenges presented by complex matrices while minimizing sample handling and the overall complexity of the procedure.
