Agilent Pesticide tMRM Database - PESTICIDES SCREENING

Importance of the Topic

Trace-level detection and confirmation of pesticide residues in complex matrices are essential to ensure food safety and regulatory compliance. Triple quadrupole LC/MS offers the selectivity and sensitivity required for accurate quantitation of hundreds of compounds at low limits of detection.

Objectives and Overview of the Article

This article introduces the Agilent Pesticide tMRM Database, a curated collection of MRM transitions and optimized parameters for over 750 pesticides. The database aims to streamline method development for targeted multi-residue screening and quantitation, reducing setup time and maximizing performance across all Agilent triple quadrupole platforms.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The tMRM database supports the creation of MRM, dynamic MRM (dMRM), and triggered MRM (tMRM) methods by providing:

• Up to 10 transitions per compound including precursor and product m/z
• Fragmentor voltages and collision energies optimized using MassHunter Optimizer
• Retention times and time windows
• Trigger parameters for tMRM workflows

Instrumental configuration typically includes:

• Agilent 1290 Infinity II UHPLC or 1260 Infinity II LC
• Agilent 6470 or 6400 Series Triple Quadrupole LC/MS system
• Agilent MassHunter Acquisition and Quantitative Analysis software

Main Results and Discussion

Application of the database enabled rapid assembly of targeted methods for hundreds of pesticides. In one demonstration, over 250 compounds spiked into black tea at 10 µg/kg were reliably detected and quantified using a 20-fold dilution. Dynamic MRM increased dwell times and sensitivity, while tMRM resolved isobaric interferences, maintaining fast cycle times and high data quality.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Significant reduction in method development time
• Standardized, validated transition parameters for robust performance
• Flexibility to choose MRM, dMRM, or tMRM based on analytical requirements
• Improved confidence in compound identification through library matching
• Free database upgrades for three years, with optional consulting services

Future Trends and Opportunities

Expansion of curated databases to include emerging contaminants, integration with AI-driven method optimization, cloud-based library sharing, and compatibility with high-resolution mass spectrometry are expected to further enhance targeted pesticide screening workflows.

Conclusion

The Agilent Pesticide tMRM Database accelerates development of sensitive and selective multi-residue methods, enabling laboratories to confidently detect and quantify trace pesticide levels while maintaining high throughput and data quality.

References

No references provided in the source document.