Deep eutectic solvent-based QuEChERS method combined with dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for extraction of benzoylurea insecticides in cabbage leaves samples

ABSTRACT

A microwave-assisted quick-easy-cheap-effective-rugged-safe method based on deep eutectic solvent was combined with lighter than water organic solvent-based-dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the extraction and preconcentration of some benzoylurea insecticides from cabbage samples. In this procedure, a portion of the crushed cabbage leaves are mixed with N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride:ethylene glycol deep eutectic solvent and exposure to microwave radiations. Then, the mixture is centrifuged and the supernatant phase is removed and mixed with toluene. It is dispersed into the deionised water filled into a closed head (wide section) glass pipette. The obtained emulsion is broken using acetonitrile as a demulsifier. Under optimum conditions, the introduced method indicated high enrichment factors (260–425), low limits of detection (0.66–1.3 ng g⁻¹) and quantification (2.2–4.4 ng g⁻¹), good linearity (r² ≥ 0.9987) and satisfactory repeatability (relative standard deviation ≤7.1 at a concentration of 15 ng g⁻¹ of each analyte). Finally, the proposed method was utilised in the analysis of the analytes in cabbage leaves and hexaflumuron was determined in several samples.

KEYWORDS:

• Benzoylurea insecticides
• dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction
• QuEChERS
• deep eutectic solvent
• cabbage leaves

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.