Evaluation of a modified QuEChERS method for the extraction of pesticides from agricultural, ornamental and forestal soils

A modified version of the QuEChERS method has been developed for the determination of a group of ten organophosphorus pesticides (i.e. ethoprofos, dimethoate, diazinon, malaoxon, chlorpyrifos-methyl, fenitrothion, malathion, chlorpyrifos, fenamiphos and phosmet) and one thiadiazine pesticide (buprofezin) in three different types of soils (forestal, ornamental and agricultural). The method was validated through linearity, recovery, precision and accuracy studies, and also by carrying out a matrix-matched calibration for the three soils owing to the existence of a strong matrix effect. Acceptable recovery values were obtained (between 45 and 96%) for all the pesticides and soils, except for malathion and malaoxon in forestal and ornamental soils, from which they could not be quantitatively extracted. Limits of detection of the whole method ranged between 0.48 and 7.78 ng/g. The method was finally applied to the determination of chlorpyrifos concentration in a treated soil for cultivation of potatoes.