A multi-residue method for determining twenty-four endocrine disrupting chemicals in vegetables and fruits using...

In this work, we developed an analytical approach using an ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) followed by continuous solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) detection in order to determine simultaneously 24 endocrine disrupting chemicals such as alkylphenols, organophosphorus pesticides, parabens, phenylphenols, triclosan and bisphenol A in vegetable and fruit samples. Different variables influencing UAE and SPE performance were optimized in order to maximize removal of the sample matrix and preconcentration of the analytes. The optimized extraction and GC-MS quantitation conditions provided acceptable sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy and precision. Limits of detection spanned the range 0.6-25 ng kg^-1, recoveries were near-quantitative and relative standard deviations ranged from 4.5 to 7.6%. The proposed method was used to analyse 11 vegetable samples and 7 fruit samples purchased at various Spanish and Moroccan supermarkets. Most samples contained more than three of the analytes, at levels between 5.8 and 580 ng kg^-1.