Rapid and sensitive multiresidue analysis of pesticides in tobacco using low pressure and traditional gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Public exposure to pesticide residues through the main/side-stream smoke of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is an international concern. This article reports optimization and validation of large-scale multiresidue analysis methods involving low pressure and traditional gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in compliance with the guidance residue levels (GRLs) of Cooperative Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco (CORESTA). Analysis by low pressure GC-MS/MS offered three times rapid turn around time over the traditional GC-MS/MS with limits of quantifications (LOQs) less than 2 μg/L for all the 259 test compounds and the recoveries in the range of 70-118% (±20%) at 10 and 20 μg/kg levels of fortification.