Validation of a Method Scope Extension for the Analysis of POPs in Soil and Verification in Organic and Conventional Farms of the Canary Islands

Abstract

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are among the most relevant and dangerous contaminants in soil, from where they can be transferred to crops. Additionally, livestock animals may inadvertently consume relatively high amounts of soil attached to the roots of the vegetables while grazing, leading to indirect exposure to humans. Therefore, periodic monitoring of soils is crucial; thus, simple, robust, and powerful methods are needed. In this study, we have tested and validated an easy QuEChERS-based method for the extraction of 49 POPs (8 PBDEs, 12 OCPs, 11 PAHs, and 18 PCBs) in soils and their analysis by GC-MS/MS. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, and accuracy, and a matrix effect study was performed. The limits of detection (LOD) were established between 0.048 and 3.125 ng g−1 and the limits of quantification (LOQ) were between 0.5 and 20 ng g−1, except for naphthalene (50 ng g−1). Then, to verify the applicability of the validated method, we applied it to a series of 81 soil samples from farms dedicated to mixed vegetable cultivation and vineyards in the Canary Islands, both from two modes of production (organic vs. conventional) where residues of OCPs, PCBs, and PAHs were found.

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

“…For some of the target compounds, the recovery rates exceeded the above range, as explained in the SANTE guidelines, as long as the RSD was below 20%, recovery rates between 60% and 140% were also acceptable. 38…”

Comparative analysis of mycotoxin, pesticide, and elemental content of Canarian craft and Spanish mainstream beers

“…Pesticides and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are some of the most toxic, mobile and environmentally stable elements that find various ways into the food chain. This due to their inherent chemistry, purpose or composition, (Rial-Berriel, Acosta-Dacal, Zumbado, Luzardo, 2020; [2] . Pesticide residues are a matter of concern in beer given their extensive use in cereal production and the growing consumer awareness about food contaminants (EFSA et al, 2021).…”

Review of scientific literature on available methods of assessing organochlorine pesticides in the environment

“…A crucial phase in the validation and optimization process of OCP analysis is comparing the newly designed method to current methods [ 13 ]. It helps to make sure that the new approach is solid, dependable, and exact and that it can be used in a variety of labs and locations [ 14 , 15 ]. Quality control and quality assurance (QC/QA) systems aim to ensure that results have a high likelihood of being of acceptable quality and to decrease measurement errors to predetermined limits [ 16 , 17 ].…”