Simultaneous Determination of Three Herbicides in Honey Samples Using an Aqueous Biphasic System Coupled with HPLC-MS/MS

A simple and environmentally friendly method was developed for simultaneous determination of residue from three triazine herbicides (simetryn, prometryn, and atrazine) from honey samples. The selected herbicides were extracted and purified using an aqueous biphasic system (ABS) based on an ethylene oxide/propylene oxide copolymer (EOPO-2500) and choline acetate ([Ch][Ac]), and determined by HPLC-MS/MS. The partitioning behavior of the analytes using the ABS was investigated, and the analytes mainly concentrated in the copolymer phase. At three spiked levels (2.0, 20.0, 100.0 mu g kg(-1)), the recoveries of the analytes were determined in the range of 81-108%, with relative standard deviations no higher than 10.5%. The limits of quantification for the herbicides ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 mu g kg(-1). The proposed method is very promising for sample preparation, taking into account its simple operation, mild conditions, and biocompatibility, without the use of any organic solvents during the extraction process. Graphic abstract