Simultaneous determination of different classes of pesticides in breast milk by solid-phase dispersion and GC/ECD

• Main Author: Palma,Danielly C. A.
• Publication Date: 2014
• Other Authors: Lourencetti,Carolina, Uecker,Marli E., Mello,Paulo R. B., Pignati,Wanderlei A., Dores,Eliana F. G. C.
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society (Online)
• Download full: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-50532014000800013
• topic: pesticides; solid-phase dispersion; gas chromatography; breast milk; matrix effect

This study presents the development, validation and application of a multiresidue analytical method intended to determine nine pesticides and a degradation product (α-endosulfan, β-endosulfan, α-HCH, g-HCH, aldrin, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and trifluralin) in breast milk samples by solid-phase dispersion and gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC/ECD). The proposed method is considered simple and efficient, combining extraction and clean up in a single step and quantification performed by standard addition to avoid the matrix effect. The method limits of detection and quantification varied between 0.002 and 0.079 µg mL-1 and 0.013 and 0.108 µg mL-1, respectively. The proposed method was applied to analyze 62 breast milk samples collected between February and June 2010 in Lucas do Rio Verde, Mato Grosso, Brazil. p,p'-DDE (0.32-12.03 µg g-1 of fat), p,p'-DDT (2.62-12.41 µg g-1 of fat) and β-endosulfan (0.54-0.61 µg g-1 of fat) were quantified in 29%, 5% and 3% of the samples, respectively. Aldrin was found below the method quantification limit in 7% of samples. Although these compounds were found in the analyzed samples, mothers were oriented to carry on feeding the infants as the breast milk is considered the optimum food during infancy.