Pesticide-Residue Analysis in Soils by the QuEChERS Method: A Review

Abstract

Pesticides are among the most important contaminants worldwide due to their wide use, persistence, and toxicity. Their presence in soils is not only important from an environmental point of view, but also for food safety issues, since such residues can migrate from soils to food. However, soils are extremely complex matrices, which present a challenge to any analytical chemist, since the extraction of a wide range of compounds with diverse physicochemical properties, such as pesticides, at trace levels is not an easy task. In this context, the QuEChERS method (standing for quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) has become one of the most green and sustainable alternatives in this field due to its inherent advantages, such as fast sample preparation, the minimal use of hazardous reagents and solvents, simplicity, and low cost. This review is aimed at providing a critical revision of the most relevant modifications of the QuEChERS method (including the extraction and clean-up steps of the method) for pesticide-residue analysis in soils.

Development and validation of an improved QuEChERS method for the extraction of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from complex soils

“…The Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC) method was proposed by the International AOAC in 2007 (AOAC 2007.01), and the EN method was proposed by the European Committee for Standardization (EN) in 2008 (EN 15662). 24,48 The purification salts used in each method are as follows: the original method uses magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride; the AOAC method uses magnesium sulfate and sodium acetate; and the EN method uses magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium citrate dihydrate, and citric acid monohydrate. In this study, we selected 2 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate, 1.0 g of C18, and 0.5 g of copper powder as purification agents and tested the recovery rates under two conditions: with and without the purification step.…”

“…Therefore, we chose C18 as the adsorbent material. 45,46 According to the study by Jiao et al, we also found that adding copper powder to the extract solution during purication can improve the recovery rate of the extraction process 24,48 The purication salts used in each method are as follows: the original method uses magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride; the AOAC method uses magnesium sulfate and sodium acetate; and the EN method uses magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium citrate dihydrate, and citric acid monohydrate. In this study, we selected 2 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate, 1.0 g of C18, and 0.5 g of copper powder as purication agents and tested the recovery rates under two conditions: with and without the purication step.…”

Optimizing Analysis Methods: Rapid and Accurate Determination of Cuaminosulfate Residues with LC-MS/MS Based on Box–Behnken Design Study

“…The detection and evaluation of copper compounds in the chelated or bound state are needed to advance the detection of residues of the pesticide in crops and to establish its maximum residue limits, which are important for human health. As the most widely used analytical tool, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been reported for the analysis of pesticides in the environment and food matrix [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”

Residual Behavior and Dietary Risk Assessment of Chlorfenapyr and Its Metabolites in Radish

“…They have the characteristics of a wide analysis range, sensitivity and resolution, low dosage and fast analysis speed. The QuEChERS method [ 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ] has been used to monitor many pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables since its introduction, which is fast, simple, cheap and effective.…”