Modification of AOAC Multiresidue Method for Determination of Synthetic Pyrethroid Residues in Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains. Part II: Acetone Extraction System

To optimize conditions and to evaluate further a multiresidue method for pyrethroids, various extraction solvents and partitioning conditions were examined. Acetone and acetonitrile (for fruits and vegetables) and acetone-water and acetonitrile-water (for grains) were used as solvents with or without acetonitrile partitioning. Twenty crops fortified with 8 pyrethroid insecticides at low, medium, and high levels were analyzed. For limit of detection (LOD) levels, repeatability tests were completed with acetone-water as extraction solvent. Recoveries of 8 pyrethroid insecticides at LOD levels were 76.2-99.6%, with coefficients of variation (CVs) of 2.08-10.90% for narrow-bore capillary gas chromatography (GC) (n = 6) and 80.1-107.3% with CVs of 3.76-15.38% for wide-bore capillary GC (n = 6). Both acetone or acetone-water extraction with acetonitrile partitioning and acetonitrile or acetonitrile-water extraction with acetonitrile partitioning are suitable for multiresidue analysis of pyrethroid insecticides. However, acetonitrile and acetonitrile-water as extraction solvents were better than acetone and acetone-water at LOD-fortified levels. This finding was confirmed chromatographically with pear, cucumber, and barley control samples.