Multiresidue method for determination of 88 pesticides in berry fruits using solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry: Determination of 88 pesticides in berries using SPE and GC–MS

A method using solid phase extraction (SPE) cleanup followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) has been established for quantitative determination of 88 pesticide residues in berry fruits including raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and grape. Based on an appraisal of the characteristics of GC–MS, validation experiments were conducted for 88 pesticides. In the method, solid-phase extraction was carried out using Envi-Carb cartridge coupled with NH2-LC cartridge with acetonitrile–toluene (3:1, v/v) as the eluted solvent. In the linear range of each pesticide, the correlation coefficient was R2 ⩾ 0.99. At the low, medium and high three fortification levels of 0.05–0.5 mg kg−1, recoveries fell within 63–137%. The relative standard deviation was between 1% and 19% for all 88 pesticides. Low limits of detection (0.006–0.05 mg kg−1) and quantification (0.02–0.15 mg kg−1) were readily achieved with this method for all tested pesticides.