Analysis of triallate residue and degradation rate in wheat and soil by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectroscopy detection with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

ABSTRACT

A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) method for the analysis of triallate residue in wheat and soil was developed and validated. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes were used as clean-up sorbent. The residual levels and dissipation rates of triallate in wheat and soil were determined by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The limit of quantification was established as 0.01, 0.02 and 0.05 mg kg⁻¹ for soil, wheat and wheat plant samples, respectively. The average recoveries of triallate ranged from 77% to 108% at fortified levels of 0.01–0.5 mg kg⁻¹ with relative standard deviations of 3.0–8.4% (n = 5). From residue trials at three geographical experimental plots in China, the results showed that the half-lives of triallate in soils were 1.13–1.63 days. For trials applied according to the label recommendation, the final residues of triallate in wheat at harvest time were all below 0.05 mg kg⁻¹ (the maximum residue levels of China, Japan, Korea and the US).

KEYWORDS:

• Triallate
• multi-walled carbon nanotubes
• dissipation
• final residue
• wheat

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by an instrumentation special project [no. 2013YQ510391] from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Guangxi Special Invited Scientist (2013) programme in Agric-Environment and Agro-products Safety.