Assessing calibration methods for fenuron determination in carrot juice via GC-MS with salt-assisted switchable...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Safety Analysis
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Fenuron is a herbicide that can contaminate food products.
• Accurate quantification of fenuron in food matrices like carrot juice is crucial for consumer safety.
• Existing analytical methods may lack the sensitivity or precision required for trace-level detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a precise and accurate analytical method for fenuron determination in carrot juice.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of salt-assisted switchable solvent-liquid phase microextraction (SA-SS-LPME) for enhancing detection limits.
• To compare the accuracy and precision of different calibration methods, including quadruple isotope dilution (ID4).

Main Methods:

• Development and optimization of the SA-SS-LPME technique coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).
• Comparison of external standard calibration, matrix-matching calibration, internal standard calibration, and ID4 calibration strategies.
• Validation of the method by assessing linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ), and percent recovery.

Main Results:

• The SA-SS-LPME-GC-MS method achieved low LOD (0.05 mg/kg) and LOQ (0.15-0.17 mg/kg) values.
• ID4 calibration demonstrated superior accuracy and precision, with recovery rates of 99.6%-102.0%.
• Other calibration methods showed varying degrees of accuracy and recovery, with external standard calibration yielding 104.5%-118.1% recovery.

Conclusions:

• SA-SS-LPME-GC-MS is a highly effective technique for fenuron analysis in carrot juice.
• The quadruple isotope dilution (ID4) strategy offers significant advantages in terms of accuracy and precision for this analytical method.
• This validated method provides a reliable tool for monitoring fenuron contamination in food products.