ABSTRACT

LC–MS plays an important role in the analysis of pesticides and related compounds, e.g., herbicides, insecticides, acaricides, as well as their degradation products and metabolites. The analysis of pesticides is relevant for environmental studies, food safety, toxicology, and occupational health. Pesticides have to be analysed in environmental samples, such as different water compartments, soil, sediments, sludge, and animal tissue like fish, in food, especially fruit and vegetables, and in (human) body fluids and tissues. Many modern pesticides and related compounds are not amenable to GC–MS analysis, or only after derivatization. Therefore, LC–MS has been evaluated as an alternative. Various review papers on the analysis of pesticides and related compounds in various sample matrices were published [1-8].