Multi-residue analysis of 18 pesticides in fresh fruits, vegetables and rice by supercritical fluid extraction and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A multi-residue screening method was developed for the determination of 18 pesticides in fresh fruits, vegetables and unpolished rice by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), cleaned up with cartridge columns, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with electrospray (LC/MS (ESI)). Comparing with our previous method, the number of fraction at purification was reduced to one fraction in order to reduce the preparation time, and detection limit and recovery value of almost pesticides were improved. The detection limits of the 18 pesticides were 0.04-148 ng/g in sample. Furthermore, in case of crops including many interfering peaks by UV detection, using a LC-MS (SIM) significantly improved the quantitative and qualitative analyses with less interfering peaks than UV detection.