Capillary electrophoresis for analyzing pesticides in fruits and vegetables using solid-phase extraction and stir-bar sorptive extraction

Two procedures based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) and stir-bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) in combination with micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC)-diode array detection (DAD) were compared for the simultaneous extraction of acrinathrin, bitertanol, cyproconazole, fludioxonil, flutriafol, myclobutanil, pyriproxyfen, and tebuconazole in lettuce, tomato, grape, and strawberry. Selectivity and resolution of the MEKC procedure were studied changing the pH and the molarity of the buffer, the type and the concentration of surfactant, and the methanol content in the mobile phase. A buffer consisting of 6 mM sodium tetraborate decahydrate with 75 mM of cholic acid sodium solution (pH 9.2) gave the best results. Linearity, extraction efficiencies and limits of quantitation (LOQs) of both extraction methods were compared. The recoveries obtained by SPE ranged from 40 to 106% with relative standard deviations (R.S.D.s) from 10 to 19% whereas by the SBSE method, the recoveries were 12-47% and the R.S.D.s 3-17%. The LOQs were much better by SPE (0.2-0.5 mg kg−1 depending on the processed sample amount) than those obtained by SBSE (1 mg kg−1 for each compound). Advantages and disadvantages of both procedures are also discussed. As SPE is more robust, rapid, and sensitive than SBSE, its application in combination with MEKC is recommended because provided LOQs below the MRLs established, which is not always attained by SBSE.