Development and Validation of a Method using SPE and LC-ESI-MS-MS for the Determination of Multiple Classes of Pesticides and Metabolites in Water Samples

An analytical method using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS-MS) was developed and validated for the determination and confirmation of eighteen polar pesticides (herbicides, insecticides and fungicides) and two metabolites in water samples. The limits of detection varied between 0.4-40.0 ng L-1 and the limits of quantification between 4.0-100.0 ng L-1. Good linearity with r(2) > 0.99 for all compounds was obtained. The recovery for 91% of the accuracy experiments varied from 70 to 120%, with RSD below 21% for all. Through multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) two different precursor ion-product ion transitions were selected for each pesticide. The proposed methodology can be used for the convenient and effective determination of pesticide residues in surface and drinking waters in accordance with Law No. 518 of the Ministry of Health, Brazil, and the European Union Directive on drinking water quality (98/83/EC).