Minimization of solvent consumption in pesticide residue analysis

The present paper reviews various pathways that will lead to reduction of organic solvent usage in pesticide residue analysis. Considerable reduction of solvent consumption can be achieved by miniaturizing the scale of sample extraction and cleanup and by simplifying the analytical procedures. Adoption of new analytical techniques, such as solid-phase microextraction and supercritical fluid extraction can also help to reduce the solvent consumption considerably. With the development of various new techniques in analytical chemistry, reduction of solvent consumption in pesticide residue analysis should not be a big technical problem anymore. The important point is to treat the issue as equally important as sensitivity and accuracy when developing a method.