Emulsive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with UHPLC-MS/MS for chiral analysis of pydiflumetofen in...

A rapid and environmentally friendly emulsive liquid-liquid microextraction (ELLME) method was developed for the enantioselective determination of pydiflumetofen (PYD) in environmental water samples using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Bio-derived propyl laurate was utilized as the extraction solvent, offering a safer alternative to traditional toxic solvents. The extractant formed an oil-in-water emulsion with water, which was subsequently introduced into the sample, facilitating the rapid transfer of PYD from the aqueous matrix to the organic extraction solvent. A small volume of sodium chloride solution was then added to promote the separation and collection of the extraction solvent. The method enabled the unambiguous enantiomeric determination and accurate quantification of PYD. The method showed good linearity over the concentration range of 0.3 to 30 μg L^-1, with R² values of more than 0.999. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.1 μg L^-1 and 0.3 μg L^-1, respectively. The extraction recoveries ranged from 86.0 % to 97.9 %, with relative standard deviations between 2.5 % and 6.0 %, indicating that the method was both sensitive and accurate. Monitoring the enantioselective dissipation of PYD showed that it degrades slowly in environmental water samples, with an enantiomer fraction of 0.518 at 30 d. Overall, the proposed method offers a green, efficient, and reliable approach for the determination of chiral pesticide residues in environmental water samples.