Analysing Pestiside Residues in Apple
Determining pesticide residues by GC-MS
Pesticides are commonly used within the agricultural industry as a means of killing or repelling pests to protect crops and livestock. The risk of pesticide toxicity in the foods we consume remains an area of concern. A number of studies indicate a link between the exposure to pesticides and acute health problems including cancer; respiratory, neurological and dermatological issues; and the risk of miscarriages and birth defects. The risks that pesticides pose to human health have prompted many international and national organizations to establish maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides, which need to be monitored and enforced. The QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) method for pesticide analysis was first introduced by United States Department of Agriculture scientists in 2003, to address this need. This technique is used for the determination of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. It is fast, simple and inexpensive. However, the method has since been modified to address some problematic pesticides by including a buffered extraction system.
Analytical Challenges in Measuring Migration from Food Contact Materials
November 2nd 2015Food contact materials contain low molecular weight additives and processing aids which can migrate into foods leading to trace levels of contamination. Food safety is ensured through regulations, comprising compositional controls and migration limits, which present a significant analytical challenge to the food industry to ensure compliance and demonstrate due diligence. Of the various analytical approaches, LC-MS/MS has proved to be an essential tool in monitoring migration of target compounds into foods, and more sophisticated approaches such as LC-high resolution MS (Orbitrap) are being increasingly used for untargeted analysis to monitor non-intentionally added substances. This podcast will provide an overview to this area, illustrated with various applications showing current approaches being employed.
Study Examines Impact of Zwitterionic Liquid Structures on Volatile Carboxylic Acid Separation in GC
March 28th 2025Iowa State University researchers evaluated imidazolium-based ZILs with sulfonate and triflimide anions to understand the influence of ZILs’ chemical structures on polar analyte separation.
Advances in Non-Targeted Analysis for PFAS in Environmental Matrices
March 27th 2025David Megson from Manchester Metropolitan University in Manchester, UK, spoke to LCGC International about the latest developments in non-targeted analysis (NTA) of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in environmental matrices based on a recent systematic review paper he has collaboratively published (1).
