Supercritical fluid extraction for some carbamate insecticides in potatoes samples, with HPLC/fluorescence determination and HPLC/mass spectrometry confirmation

Six supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) methods were tested, by varying the following operational parameters: CO2 pressure, time and temperature of extraction, type and proportion of static modifier, and Hydromatrix/sample rate into cell, Firstly, insecticide carbamates were extracted from spiked potatoes samples (fortification level of 0,5 mg.Kg(.1)) by using SPE procedures, and then final extracts were analyzed HPLC/fluorescence. Good performance was observed with SFE methods that operated with values of temperature and CO2 pressure of 50 degreesC and 350 bar, respectively. Best efficiency was obtained when it was used acetonitrile as a modifier (3% on the cell volume), and Hydromatrix/sample rate of 2:1. Static time was of 1 min; total extraction time was of 35 min; dynamic extraction was performed with 15 mL of CO2, and it was used methanol (2 mL) for the dissolution of the final residue. In such conditions, pesticide recoveries varied from 72 to 94%, depending on the analyzed compound. In higher extraction temperatures, a rapid degradation was observed for some compounds, such as aldicarb and carbaryl; presence of their metabolites was further confirmed by HPLC-APCI/MS in positive mode, Detection limits for chromatographic analysis varied from 0,2 to 1,3 ng.