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The Chemical Educator
ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)
Abstract Volume 19
(2014) pp 006-010
DOI 10.1007/s00897142522a
Extraction and Quantification of Insecticides From Bananas Using a QuEChERS-GC-NPD Method
Lidia María Ravelo-Pérez
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science, University of La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez s/n, 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, lravelo@ull.edu.es
Received July 5, 2013. Accepted November 7, 2013.
Published: 7 January 2014
Abstract. A new laboratory experiment in which students extract and determine eight insecticides from bananas is presented. The experimental procedure employs extraction of the target analytes by using the QuEChERS method prior to the gas chromatographic determinations, which are carried out with a nitrogen-phosphorous detector. The whole procedure involves sample pretreatment, analysis of banana extracts and data processing. After integrating the gas chromatographic peaks of standards and spiked samples, students calculate recovery percentages. They also evaluate the presence of insecticides residues in the bananas by analyzing blank samples and determine their relative amounts with the aid of calibration studies.
Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; quantitative analysis; insecticides; banana; QuEChERS; gas chromatography
(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: lravelo@ull.edu.es)
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