Simultaneous determination of residues of trichlorfon and dichlorvos in animal tissues by LC-MS/MS

Trichlorfon is a thermally unstable insecticide that can be easily decomposed to dichlorvos at high temperatures. In this study, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of the residues of trichlorfon and dichlorvos in animal tissues. Trichlorfon and dichlorvos in animal tissues were extracted with dichloromethane, homogenized/shaken, concentrated, and determined by LC-MS/MS. The two insecticides can be effectively separated and individually determined. The limits of detection (LODs) of trichlorfon and dichlorvos were 0.04 and 0.07 mu g kg-1, respectively; the limits of quantification (LOQs) of the two insecticides were both 5 mu g kg-1. The average recoveries for three spiked blank samples at 10, 20 and 40 mu g kg-1 were in the range 85-106%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) below 10.6%, which falls in a reasonable range for the analysis of the two insecticides in animal-derived foods. The method is fit-for-purpose for the simultaneous determination of residues of trichlorfon and dichlorvos in animal tissues.