Abstract: A method for the simultaneous analysis of 43 pesticide residues in vegetables by gas chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-QqQ-MS/MS) was developed and validated. The samples were extracted with acetonitrile, and then purified by solid-phase extraction (SPE). The detection of 43 pesticides was carried out by GC-QqQ-MS/MS in the multi-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using external standard method. The overall recoveries determined at three spiked levels of 10, 80 and 100 μg/kg were 62.2%~170.0%, which in the recoveries of 36 pesticides were 70.0%~120.0%. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 18%. The limits of quantification (S/N≥10) were 0.3~4.4 μg/kg. The method possesses low background and high sensitivity. It can be applied to the routine analysis of the 43 pesticides in vegetables.

Key words: pesticide residues, solid-phase extraction, vegetables, gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS)