Simultaneous determination of 16 pyrethroid residues in tea samples using gas chromatography and ion trap mass spectrometry

J Chromatogr Sci. 2010 Oct;48(9):771-6. doi: 10.1093/chromsci/48.9.771.

Abstract

Pyrethroids are widely used in tea production, and pesticide residues in brewed tea are becoming a major issue. Thus, an appropriate control method of pyrethroid residues in tea samples has to be developed and used to reduce the potential health hazard from consumption of pyrethroids. A method is described here for the simultaneous determination of 16 pyrethroid residues in tea samples. The insecticides were extracted using acetone and then underwent cleanup through a florisil column. Analysis was performed by gas chromatography with ion trap mass spectrometry (GC IT-MS) in MS MS mode. Retention time and specific ions were used for identification. Recoveries at spiked levels (0.001-0.2 μg/g) for the 16 pyrethroids ranged from 71.3% to 106.3%, and the coefficient of variation was less than 17% in each case. The limits of detection were from 0.001 to 0.05 μg/g. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine pyrethroid residues in 25 brewed made tea samples. It was found that there were bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, lamda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, dicofol, fenpropathrin, fenvalerate, fluvalinate, and tetramethrin residues in different samples with levels ranging from 1.18-3071.29 μg/kg.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetone
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Pesticide Residues / analysis*
  • Pyrethrins / analysis*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tea / chemistry*

Substances

  • Pesticide Residues
  • Pyrethrins
  • Tea
  • Acetone