Validation and assessment of matrix effect and uncertainty of a gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry method for pesticides in papaya and avocado samples

•A quantitative gas chromatographic method for pesticides analysis is reported.•The analytical method was validated.•Matrix effect is assessed.•A detailed uncertainty assessment was carried out.•A feasibility study for different fruits was done.

In this paper a method of using the “quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe” (QuEChERS) extraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry detection (GC-MS) was developed for the analysis of five frequently applied pesticides in papaya and avocado. The selected pesticides, ametryn, atrazine, carbaryl, carbofuran, and methyl parathion, represent the most commonly used classes (carbamates, organophosphorous, and triazines). Optimum separation achieved the analysis of all pesticides in < 6.5 minutes. Validation using papaya and avocado samples established the proposed method as linear, accurate, and precise. In this sense, the correlation coefficients were > 0.99. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) in papaya ranged from 0.03 mg/kg to 0.35 mg/kg and from 0.06 mg/kg to 0.75 mg/kg, respectively. Meanwhile for avocado, LOD values varied from 0.14 mg/kg to 0.28 mg/kg and LOQ values ranged from 0.22 mg/kg to 0.40 mg/kg. Recoveries obtained for each pesticide in both matrices ranged between 60.6% and 104.3%. The expanded uncertainty of the method was < 26% for all the pesticides in both fruits. Finally, the method was applied to other fruits.

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