Impact of Matrix Species and Mass Spectrometry on Matrix Effects in Multi-Residue Pesticide Analysis Based on QuEChERS-LC-MS

Abstract

With the popularity of multi-residue pesticide analysis based on quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) cleanup and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS), matching optimal matrix-matched calibration protocols and LC-MS conditions to reduce matrix effects (MEs) has become a crucial task for analysts in their routines. However, dozens to hundreds of pesticide analytes in a single run generate increasingly multi-dimensional ME data, requiring appropriate tools to handle these data sets. Therefore, we established an ME analysis strategy by drawing on analytical thinking and tools from metabolomics analysis. Using this, matrix species-induced and mass spectrometry-induced systematic ME variations were distinguished, and pesticides contributed to the variations were scanned out. A simultaneous weakening of MEs on 24 pesticides in 32 different matrices was achieved using the time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) scan under the information-dependent acquisition (IDA) mode of high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS), compared to multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scanning by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Bay leaf, ginger, rosemary, Amomum tsao-ko, Sichuan pepper, cilantro, Houttuynia cordata, and garlic sprout showed enhanced signal suppression in the MRM scan for 105 differential MRM transitions for 42 pesticides and in IDA mode for 33 pesticides, respectively. This study revealed the interference of matrix species and mass spectrometry on MEs and provided a novel strategy for ME analysis.

Simultaneous Analysis of 53 Pesticides in Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) by Using LC–MS/MS Coupled with a Modified QuEChERS Technique

“…Consequently, the minimization of matrix effects and developing a simultaneous qualitative and quantitative method for multi-pesticide residues in safflowers is critical in reducing food safety risks. The rapid, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) methods are modern sample preparation techniques with good reproducibility, satisfactory relative recoveries, and very low relative standard deviation (RSD values) in the pesticide multiresidue analysis of various matrices [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. The conventional QuEChERS technique generally uses octadecylsilane (C 18 ), primary secondary amine (PSA), and graphitized carbon black (GCB) as clean-up materials [ 15 ] and has been employed.…”

A Green Bridge: Enhancing a Multi-Pesticide Test for Food by Phase-Transfer Sample Treatment Coupled with LC/MS

“…This effect is particularly serious when there are multiple detection targets in the sample and there are certain concentration differences among the multiple detection targets. From the point of view of accurate measurement, the matrix interference co-existing with the target to be detected in the sample is an important aspect of the late detection deviation, that is, the deviation of the detection signal [1][2][3]. The purpose of sample pretreatment is also to remove the relevant coexisting matrix in the fully extracted sample extract so that the detection environment of the final target matches the uncomplicated environment of the corresponding reference substance and the traceable value of the target substance in the sample can be obtained by comparison [4,5].…”