Rapid Sample Preparation and Fast GC–MS-MS for the Analysis of Pesticides and Environmental Contaminants in Fish
Spectroscopy E-Books
A rapid, high-throughput analytical method was developed and evaluated for the simultaneous determination of pesticides and environmental contaminants in fish. The compounds included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and flame retardants. The method was based on a QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) technique with acetonitrile extraction, and a dispersive solid-phase extraction (dSPE) cleanup. Three sorbent combinations were compared for cleanup efficiency and recoveries of the contaminants: C18+PSA, traditionally used for lipid removal in dSPE, and two novel sorbents, based on silica coated with zirconium dioxide (ZrO2 ) and ZrO2 /C18, designed for phospholipid removal. The dSPE cleanup with ZrO2 sorbent provided the highest efficiency with the lowest baseline, as well as satisfactory recoveries (70–120% calculated based on isotope-labeled internal standards) for the most analytes. The method allows for quick sample preparation of fish samples for the analysis of almost 200 targeted contaminants using fast, lowpressure gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS-MS), thus providing a wide scope of analysis.
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Best of the Week: What You Missed from Pittcon and AAFS
March 14th 2025Top articles published this week include a video interview on the role of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in food and bioanalysis, a recap of an important session at Pittcon, and a dynamic video that summarizes the highlights of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Conference.
New Fluorescence Model Enhances Aflatoxin Detection in Vegetable Oils
March 12th 2025A research team from Nanjing University of Finance and Economics has developed a new analytical model using fluorescence spectroscopy and neural networks to improve the detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in vegetable oils. The model effectively restores AFB1’s intrinsic fluorescence by accounting for absorption and scattering interferences from oil matrices, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency for food safety testing.
