A novel application of mesoporous silica material for extraction of pesticides

Abstract

The mesoporous silica material MCM-41 was prepared by the sol–gel method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 adsorption–desorption and thermogravimetric analysis. The material was tested for extraction of trichlorfon, pyrimethanil, tetraconazole, thiabendazole, imazalil and tebuconazole from mango fruit, with analysis using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In experiments carried out in triplicate, at a 1.0 mg/kg concentration level, recoveries using the MCM-41 sorbent were in the range 73–103%. Comparison of MCM-41 with commercially available silica gel showed that MCM-41 was a similar extracting phase for the pesticides investigated with a significant cost advantage over this conventional material.