Quick and Sensitive Enantioselective Determination of Permethrin in Fruits and Vegetables by Combining Supramolecular Solvents and Chiral Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Permethrin (PM) is one of the chiral insecticides most widely used around the world. The significant differential toxicity of its four enantiomers and its important adverse effects on human health highlights the need for determination of PM enantiomers. The aim of this work was to develop the first enantioselective method for quantification of PM in fruits and vegetables. The method is based on the extraction of PM enantiomers in supramolecular solvents with restricted access properties (SUPRAS-RAM) and their separation/detection by chiral liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) which is first reported in this article. SUPRAS-RAM-based extraction is proposed as an innovative treatment approach that drastically reduces solvent consumption and avoids the need for sample cleanup. Extraction of PM enantiomers is quick (vortexing for 5 min) and efficient (recoveries 93−107%). The method is sensitive (quantification limits from 1.0 to 1.2 μg kg −1 ) and suitable for control of PM enantiomers in agri-food products.

Core-Labeled Reverse Micelle-Based Supramolecular Solvents for Assisted Quick and Sensitive Determination of Amitriptyline in Wastewater

“…Similarly, the tailored supramolecular solvent (SUPRAS) is stepping sustainability ahead and these solvents find application in separation techniques, such as liquid–liquid extraction and chromatography, due to their ability to selectively solvate desired molecules . Apart from this, SUPRAS plays a pivotal role in catalytic processes by providing controlled solvation environments, facilitating reaction rates, selectivity, and even enantioselectivity . The utilization of surfactants and their assemblies, , self-assembled nanostructures based on chlorophyll, and fluorescent ensemble sensors have garnered significant interest in the construction of fluorescent sensory systems, primarily owing to their multitude of advantages.…”

“…30 Apart from this, SUPRAS plays a pivotal role in catalytic processes by providing controlled solvation environments, facilitating reaction rates, selectivity, and even enantioselectivity. 38 The utilization of surfactants 39 and their assemblies, 40,41 self-assembled nanostructures based on chlorophyll, 42 and fluorescent ensemble sensors 43 have garnered significant interest in the construction of fluorescent sensory systems, primarily owing to their multitude of advantages. The use of surfactant aggregates for encapsulation and modulation represents a very effective approach in the generation of fluorescent sensors that possess selectivity and discrimination.…”