Automated QuEChERS Tips for Analysis of Pesticide Residues in Fruits and Vegetables by GC-MS

This paper reports the development of an automated method of QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) using pipet tips fitted with filtration screens and containing primary-secondary amine, magnesium sulfate, and graphitized carbon black. These tips are referred to as QuEChERS Tips. Using loosely contained sorbent, dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) cleanup was performed with the QuEChERS Tips and automation. The main advantage of the QuEChERS Tips is that they are readily automated because this dSPE method does not require centrifugation. High recoveries (70-117%) and good reproducibilities (<12%) are shown for over 200 pesticides using automated QuEChERS Tips and GC-MS in various sample matrices.