Evaluation of the QuEChERS method and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the analysis pesticide residues in water and sediment.

A method for the determination of pesticide residues in water and sediment was developed using the QuEChERS method followed by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry. The method was validated in terms of accuracy, specificity, linearity, detection and quantification limits. The recovery percentages obtained for the pesticides in water at different concentrations ranged from 63 to 116%, with relative standard deviations below 12%. The corresponding results from the sediment ranged from 48 to 115% with relative standard deviations below 16%. The limits of detection for the pesticides in water and sediment were below 0.003 mg L⁻¹ and 0.02 mg kg⁻¹, respectively.