Ultrasound-assisted dispersive-filter extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography: A rapid miniaturized method for the determination of phenylurea pesticides in vegetables and fruits

Abstract

Due to the excessive use of pesticides, which presents a threat to public health, large quantities of vegetables and fruits need to be analyzed. Herein, a rapid, low-cost, miniaturized ultrasound-assisted dispersive-filter extraction (UADFE), coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed for the first time to determine phenylurea pesticides in vegetables and fruits. The UADFE method achieved rapid extraction through ultrasound-assisted dispersive solid-phase extraction (DSPE) mode, rapid separation through filter solid-phase extraction (FSPE) mode, and rapid elution through quickly switching between DSPE and FSPE mode. After optimization of extraction parameters of UADFE, there was only 2.0 mg adsorbent dosage, 1.0 mL sample volume, and 8–10 min operation time, which significantly reduced the adsorbent dosage and operation time, and was superior to common sample preparation methods (solid-phase extraction, DSPE, etc.). Under the optimized condition, the UADFE-HPLC method showed good linearity (0.0100–2.50 μg/g, r ≥ 0.9995), accuracy (86.6–116.9%), precision (5.3–7.1%), and sensitivity (LOQs: 3.35–4.17 ng/g). Applying these advantages, the proposed method was found to be successful in determining phenylurea pesticides in various vegetables and fruits, demonstrating its ability to ensure food safety and assess potential risks of vegetables and fruits.