Quantitative screening of organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides in water and soil using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Abstract

Organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides, historically or currently widely used in agriculture, are prevalent in the environment and pose significant risks to public health and ecosystems. This study aimed to develop a robust analytical method for quantifying these pesticides in soil and water. By optimizing solid-phase extraction (SPE) and Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) procedures, and utilizing comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOF-MS), we achieved sensitive detection levels of all organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides at 10 μg/kg for soil and 0.1 μg/kg for water samples. The mean recoveries were in the range of 74.2–118.3 % and 72.3–106.9 % at fortified concentration levels in soil and water, respectively. The method exhibited good linearity (R² ≥ 0.9874) and precision (relative standard deviations from 0.1 % to 29.9 %), providing a reliable approach for environmental monitoring and advancing the capabilities in pesticide residue analysis.