High speed multi-layer coil counter current chromatography (HSMLCCC) as a powerful clean-up step during multiresidue analysis of pesticides in spices

The capacity of high speed multi-layer coil counter current chromatography (HSMLCCC) as an alternative clean-up procedure in residue analysis of spices has been proven valuable after analyzing 39 different pesticides, such as representative organohalogens, triazine herbicides, organophosphates, and pyrethroid insecticides. The best results were obtained using a solvent mixture comprised of acetonitrile/petroleum ether (40-60 °C)/H₂O. To confirm the results obtained from standard experiments, real lipophilic substances, 39 highly contaminated species extracts, were analyzed. The recovery rates obtained from HSMLCCC analysis were between 85 and 100, which pointed out that HSMLCCC is a powerful technique for the rapid and efficient clean-up procedure in pesticide residue analysis.