Evaluation of solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography in the analysis of some pesticides with different mass spectrometric techniques: Application to environmental waters and food samples

Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or GC-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS) with an ion trap was evaluated for the analysis of four pesticides in environmental waters and food samples (fruit juices and wine). SPME allowed rapid analysis of these complex matrices without any purification step. Two different GC-MS techniques were compared. The developed procedures were evaluated in terms of linearity, precision and limit of detection. The linearity of the method was studied in the range from 0.1 to 10 mug/l for environmental water samples and from 20 to 2000 mug/l for food samples. The precision of the methods was calculated by analysing three different samples spiked at 1 mug/l for each analyte on a single day basis. Reached sensitivities fully satisfy legal limits stated by Italian and European laws for pesticide levels in wastes and foods. Quantitative analysis using the standard addition method or an internal standard is highly recommended when this SPME-GC-MS procedure is applied to such complex matrices.