Evaluation of matrix effect on the GC response of eleven pesticides by PCA

The components of seven matrices in the analysis of 11 pesticides by GC-ECD were analysed. The matrix effect was calculated based on the changing of chromatographic response of the analyte in the presence of co-extractives of the matrices in the organic phase obtained by solid-liquid and liquid-liquid extraction with partition at low temperature (ESL-PBT and ELL-PBT), in relation to the response of it in the pure solvent. It was used the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in evaluating the results obtained for the percentages of the matrix effect. The tomato, grape and pineapple matrices caused greater matrix effect and were grouped. The other matrices such as apple, water and potato caused small matrix effect. For most pesticides the soil matrix caused negative matrix effect. The influence of pH of the samples on the matrix effect was also evaluated showing not to have a direct effect on the phenomenon. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.