Chapter 6 GC-MS. I: Basic principles and technical aspects of GC-MS for pesticide residue analysis

Abstract

This chapter discusses the basic principles and technical aspects of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) for pesticide residue analysis. The technique can be combined on-line with the most important chromatographic separation techniques applied in trace analysis of biological, environmental and food samples—that is, capillary gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. This technique is extremely valuable for the development of analytical methods to meet the low maximum tolerance values as set by the European Union and other legislative bodies for pesticides in foodstuffs. The structural identification of a pesticide in a pesticide residue analysis is performed by means of a reference spectrum of a standard. The chapter discusses supersonic GC–MS system, which is a modification of an Agilent HP 6890 GC and HP 5972 mass-selective detector (HP 5972 MSD) with a supersonic molecular beam (SMB) interface and fly-through electron-ionization ion source.