Analysis of Organochlorine Pesticides in a Soil Sample by a Modified QuEChERS Approach Using Ammonium Formate

Summary

The present protocol describes the utilization of ammonium formate for phase partitioning in QuEChERS, together with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, to successfully determine organochlorine pesticide residues in a soil sample.

Abstract

Currently, the QuEChERS method represents the most widely used sample preparation protocol worldwide for analyzing pesticide residues in a broad variety of matrices both in official and non-official laboratories. The QuEChERS method using ammonium formate has previously proven to be advantageous compared to the original and the two official versions. On the one hand, the simple addition of 0.5 g of ammonium formate per gram of sample is sufficient to induce phase separation and achieve good analytical performance. On the other hand, ammonium formate reduces the need for maintenance in routine analyses. Here, a modified QuEChERS method using ammonium formate was applied for the simultaneous analysis of organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues in agricultural soil. Specifically, 10 g of the sample was hydrated with 10 mL of water and then extracted with 10 mL of acetonitrile. Next, phase separation was carried out using 5 g of ammonium formate. After centrifugation, the supernatant was subjected to a dispersive solid-phase extraction clean-up step with anhydrous magnesium sulfate, primary-secondary amine, and octadecylsilane. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used as the analytical technique. The QuEChERS method using ammonium formate is demonstrated as a successful alternative for extracting OCP residues from a soil sample.

Introduction

The need to increase food production has led to the intensive and widespread use of pesticides worldwide over the last few decades. Pesticides are applied to the crops to protect them from pests and increase crop yields, but their residues usually end up in the soil environment, especially in agricultural areas¹. Furthermore, some pesticides, such as organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), have a very stable structure, so their residues do not decompose easily and persist in the soil for a long time². Generally, the soil has a high capacity to accumulate pesticide residues, especially when it has a high content of organic matt....

Protocol

1. Preparation of the stock solutions

NOTE: It is recommended to wear nitrile gloves, a lab coat, and safety glasses during the entire protocol.

1. Prepare a stock solution in acetone at 400 mg/L from a commercial mix of OCPs (see Table of Materials) at 2,000 mg/L in hexane:toluene (1:1) in a 25 mL volumetric flask. Table 1 shows each of the selected OCPs.
2. Prepare the subsequent stock solutions in acetone at concentrations o.......

Discussion

The original⁹ and the two official versions^13,14 of the QuEChERS method use magnesium sulfate together with sodium chloride, acetate, or citrate salts to promote acetonitrile/water mixture separation during extraction. However, these salts tend to be deposited as solids on the surfaces in the mass spectrometry (MS) source, which causes the need for increased maintenance of liquid chromatography (LC)-MS-based methods. In terms of overcoming.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
15 mL disposable glass conical centrifuge tubes	PYREX	99502-15
2 mL centrifuge tubes	Eppendorf	30120094
50 mL centrifuge tubes with screw caps	VWR	21008-169
5977B mass-selective detector	Agilent Technologies	1617R019
7820A gas chromatography system	Agilent Technologies	16162016
Acetone	Supelco	1006582500
Acetonitrile	VWR	83642320
Ammonium formate	VWR	21254260
Automatic shaker KS 3000 i control	IKA	3940000
Balance	Sartorius Lab Instruments Gmbh & Co	ENTRIS224I-1S
Bondesil-C18, 40 µm	Agilent Technologies	12213012
Bondesil-PSA, 40 µm	Agilent Technologies	12213024
Cyclohexane	VWR	85385320
EPA TCL pesticides mix	Sigma Aldrich	48913
Ethyl acetate	Supelco	1036492500
G4567A automatic sampler	Agilent Technologies	19490057
HP-5ms Ultra Inert (5%-phenyl)-methylpolysiloxane 30 m x 250 µm x 0.25 µm column	Agilent Technologies	19091S-433UI
Magnesium sulfate monohydrate	Sigma Aldrich	434183-1KG
Mega Star 3.R centrifuge	VWR	521-1752
Milli-Q gradient A10	Millipore	RR400Q101
p,p'-DDE-d8	Dr Ehrenstorfer	DRE-XA12041100AC
Pipette tips 2 - 200 µL	BRAND	732008
Pipette tips 5 mL	BRAND	702595
Pipette tips 50 - 1000 uL	BRAND	732012
Pippette Transferpette S variabel 10 - 100 µL	BRAND	704774
Pippette Transferpette S variabel 100 - 1000 µL	BRAND	704780
Pippette Transferpette S variabel 20 - 200 µL	BRAND	704778
Pippette Transferpette S variabel 500 - 5000 µL	BRAND	704782
Vials with fused-in insert	Sigma Aldrich	29398-U
OCPs		CAS registry number
α-BHC		319-84-6
β-BHC		319-85-7
Lindane		58-89-9
δ-BHC		319-86-8
Heptachlor		76-44-8
Aldrin		309-00-2
Heptachlor epoxide		1024-57-3
α-Endosulfan		959-98-8
4,4'-DDE-d8 (IS)		93952-19-3
4,4'-DDE		72-55-9
Dieldrin		60-57-1
Endrin		72-20-8
β-Endosulfan		33213-65-9
4,4'-DDD		72-54-8
Endosulfan sulfate		1031-07-8
4,4'-DDT		50-29-3
Endrin ketone		53494-70-5
Methoxychlor		72-43-5