Application of Dispersive Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE) Based on Carbon S for the Determination of Multiple Residues of Diamine Pesticides in Vegetables

Diamide insecticides represent a class of highly efficient compounds that have been widely employed in plant protection in recent years. The potential risk of exceeding residue limits in agricultural products should not be disregarded but the molecular structure of diamides dictates that the currently widely used QuEChERS cannot be extended to the analysis of their residues in food. The aim of this work is to develop a multi-residue method for diamides in vegetables using an alternative to traditional plant pigment removers. A modified QuEChERS based on the recently reported pigment remover Carbon S was established, and a multi-residue method for the determination of six diamide insecticides (flubendiamide, chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, tetrachlorantraniliprole, cyclaniliprole, and broflanilide) in melons and leafy vegetables using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (UPLC-PDA) was developed. The evaluation of this methodology showed the recoveries of the diamides in the vegetable matrices ranged from 80 to 107%, with intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 10%. The limits of quantification (LOQs) for these insecticides in vegetables were from 0.034 to 0.051 mg/kg. The modified QuEChERS employing carbon S exhibits environmental friendliness, high efficiency, and good reproducibility. The optimized methodology demonstrates accuracy, sensitivity, and reliability. Carbon S was used as a plant pigments remover, extending the application of QuEChERS to the determination of diamide residues in vegetables.