Determination of multiclass emerging contaminants using QuEChERS method

QuEChERS method is a simple, straightforward, and environmentally friendly approach that consists of extraction with acetonitrile followed by a salting-out and final purification step using dispersive solid-phase extraction. The determination of the target and nontarget analytes is generally followed by gas and/or liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry techniques. Originally, the QuEChERS sample preparation was developed for pesticide residue determination in food, particularly fruits and vegetables with high water content. But recently, it has spread to the analysis of multiclass organic contaminants of environmental concern (i.e., pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and perfluoroalkyl substances) in many different biotic and abiotic samples such as biota, water, soil, and sediments, among others. In this chapter we aim to present the fundamentals and a critically review of the applications of QuEChERS for the analysis of emerging contaminants in environmental matrices.