ABSTRACT
Proper sample preparation and high-performance liquid chromatography operation may ensure that it will deliver the highest level of qualitative and quantitative compound measurement. This chapter explains the optimization of quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe (QuEChERS) extraction of xenobiotics and the use of chromatographic techniques coupled with mass spectrometry for their analysis. In the analysis of some groups of xenobiotics, the use of the QuEChERS technique with sample purification during the dispersive solid-phase extraction step is not satisfactory because the impact of the matrix is still significant. The extraction technique of QuEChERS can be used to prepare samples and purify extracts of the following important groups of xenobiotics, such as pesticides, drugs, veterinary drugs, vitamins, dyes, and rarely environmental bioindicators, residues, and mycotoxins. The widespread adoption of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as a major technique for bioanalysis, proteomics, food safety, and other markets requiring high sensitivity and high-throughput analysis originally led to a de-emphasis on the importance of sample preparation.
