Among the numerous synthetic organic chemicals that are extensively
produced, manufactured, and consequently used worldwide for many different
purposes nowadays, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pharmaceutical drugs, and various other organic
chemical species which are being considered as emerging pollutants, pesticides are
included as well. The presence and occurrence of these xenobiotic substances not only
in various environmental matrices (water, air, and soil), but also in biological tissues of
different organisms, as well as in several compartments of raw or processed food of
fruit, vegetal, and animal origin, has raised global scientific concerns regarding their
potential toxicity towards non target organisms including humans. Furthermore, the
efficiency of specific persistent organic contaminants to be magnified, and accumulated
along the food chain has enacted strict legislations, regulations and guidelines
regarding their use and maximum levels of their residues that are legally tolerated in or
on food or feed.
Ensurace of food control and safety is achieved after the performace of extensive
analytical stages of sample preparation which include extraction and/or clean-up
techniques followed by instrumental analysis for the qualitative and quantitative
determination of pesticide residues that are contained in complex matrices, such as
food often in trace levels varying from ng kg-1 to μg kg-1. Therefore, the most
important, fundamental, and crucial issue to overcome is the development of analytical
methods characterized by high accuracy, sensitivity, selectivity, specificity and
reliability that allow the simultaneous determination of more than one residue in a
simple run (routine analysis). This chapter is aiming to review the most recent
advances in developed and applied analytical techniques all over the world for the
identification and quantification of pesticides in fruit and vegetable samples, focusing
and emphasizing on the procedures of isolation, enrichment, elimination of matrix effects, separation and instrumental determination. Apart from parent compounds, the
determination of primary metabolites and degradation products is being reviewed and
discussed. Drawbacks and advantages occurring at each stage of the analytical
procedure are critically reviewed, and research needs and future trends are also
highlightened.
Keywords: Chromatography, Food, Pesticides, Persistent Organic Pollutants
(POPs), Residue Analysis, Sample Preparation.
