Meeting the challenges in pesticide residues analysis with the TSQ Quantis Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer

Importance of the topic

Pesticide residues in food pose health risks and are regulated by maximum residue levels (MRLs) that vary by country and commodity. Accurate, sensitive, and high-throughput multi-residue methods are essential to ensure compliance with international food safety standards and to protect consumer health.

Objectives and study overview

This case study describes how ISVEA srl, a specialized wine analysis laboratory, upgraded its QuEChERS-based pesticide screening to quantify over 400 compounds in a single run. The goal was to double analyte coverage, improve sensitivity, and maintain ISO 17025 compliance, while reducing analysis time.

Methodology and instrumentation

Sample preparation followed the UNI EN 15662:2018 QuEChERS protocol.

• Chromatography: Thermo Scientific Vanquish Flex UHPLC with a 15-minute gradient.
• Detection: Thermo Scientific TSQ Quantis triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in SRM mode.
• Software: Thermo Scientific TraceFinder for data acquisition, quantitation, and LIMS integration.
• Validation guidelines: EU SANTE/11813/2017 criteria for LOD/LOQ, ion ratios, retention time, trueness, precision, and robustness.

Main results and discussion

ISVEA achieved quantification of more than 400 pesticides with LOQs of 2.5–10 ppb for 95 % of analytes. The method met EU SANTE requirements:

• Linearity within ±20 % across five concentration levels.
• Recovery between 70–120 % and repeatability RSDr ≤20 %.
• Retention time stability within ±0.1 min.

The UHPLC-MS/MS system demonstrated exceptional robustness, running continuously for six months with minimal maintenance and stable response even in complex matrices like wine and olive oil.

Benefits and practical applications

The combined Vanquish Flex/TSQ Quantis platform delivers:

• High throughput and rapid turnaround for food safety labs.
• Enhanced sensitivity to meet lower MRLs and emerging pesticide analytes.
• Reduced instrument downtime and operational costs.
• Streamlined data processing and traceability through integrated software.

Future trends and potential applications

Ongoing developments may include:

• Expansion of target lists to cover new agrochemical compounds.
• Improved ionization or sample introduction techniques to further mitigate matrix effects.
• Greater automation and LIMS connectivity for routine QA/QC workflows.
• Real-time data analytics and machine learning for screening unknown contaminants.

Conclusion

The TSQ Quantis triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, coupled with Vanquish Flex UHPLC and TraceFinder software, offers a powerful solution for fast, sensitive, and robust multi-residue pesticide analysis. This approach enables laboratories to meet stringent regulatory standards while maximizing productivity and data confidence.

References

• European Commission. Guidance Document on Analytical Quality Control and Method Validation Procedures for Pesticide Residues Analysis in Food and Feed, SANTE/11813/2017.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific. TSQ Quantis Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer Case Study 73108.