Determination of six pyrethroid insecticides in fruit juice samples using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction combined with high performance liquid chromatography

Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) coupled to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection was applied for the determination of six pyrethroids (tetramethrin, fenpropathrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, fenvalerate and permethrin) in various fruit juices including apple, red grape, orange, kiwi, passion fruit, pomegranate and guava juice. Six pyrethroids were separated within 30 min using a Waters Atlantis T3 column under an isocratic elution of acetonitrile–water (72:28). The parameters affecting extraction efficiency of the DLLME method such as type of disperser and extraction solvent, volume of disperser and extraction solvent and centrifugation time were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, 5.00 mL of sample solution, 300 μL of chloroform as extraction solvent and 1.25 mL of methanol as dispersive solvent gave high enrichment factor in the range of 62–84. Good linearity was obtained from 2 to 1500 μg/L (r2 > 0.995). The mean recoveries of the pyrethroids evaluated by fortification of real samples were in the range of 84–94%. The limits of detection ranging from 2 to 5 μg/L are sufficient to analyze pyrethroid residues at the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by the European Union (EU) in fruit juices. The proposed method can be applied to direct determination of pyrethroid residues in fruit juices.