Wang Qi, Li Xiaohui, Wang Hongping, Li Simeng, Zhang Chen, Chen Xueying, Dong Jing, Shao Hua, Wang Jing, Jin Fen
Key Laboratory of Agro-Product Quality and Safety, Institute of Quality Standards & Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
Shimadzu China MS Center, Beijing 100020, China.
Foods. 2023 Jul 27;12(15):2858. doi: 10.3390/foods12152858.
Forchlorfenuron is a widely used plant growth regulator to support the pollination and fruit set of oriental melons. It is critical to investigate the spatial distribution and migration characteristics of forchlorfenuron among fruit tissues to understand its metabolism and toxic effects on plants. However, the application of imaging mass spectrometry in pesticides remains challenging due to the usually extremely low residual concentration and the strong interference from plant tissues. In this study, a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) method was developed for the first time to obtain the dynamic images of forchlorfenuron in oriental melon. A quantitative assessment has also been performed for MALDI-MSI to characterize the time-dependent permeation and degradation sites of forchlorfenuron in oriental melon. The majority of forchlorfenuron was detected in the exocarp and mesocarp regions of oriental melon and decreased within two days after application. The degradation rate obtained by MALDI-MSI in this study was comparable to that obtained by HPLC-MS/MS, indicating that the methodology and quantification approach based on the MALDI-MSI was reliable and practicable for pesticide degradation study. These results provide an important scientific basis for the assessment of the potential risks and effects of forchlorfenuron on oriental melons.
氯吡脲是一种广泛使用的植物生长调节剂，用于促进东方甜瓜的授粉和坐果。研究氯吡脲在果实组织中的空间分布和迁移特性对于了解其在植物体内的代谢及毒性作用至关重要。然而，由于农药残留浓度通常极低且植物组织干扰强烈，成像质谱技术在农药研究中的应用仍具有挑战性。本研究首次开发了一种基质辅助激光解吸/电离质谱成像（MALDI-MSI）方法，用于获取氯吡脲在东方甜瓜中的动态图像。同时，还对MALDI-MSI进行了定量评估，以表征氯吡脲在东方甜瓜中的时间依赖性渗透和降解位点。在东方甜瓜的外果皮和中果皮区域检测到了大部分氯吡脲，且施药后两天内其含量下降。本研究中通过MALDI-MSI获得的降解速率与通过HPLC-MS/MS获得的降解速率相当，表明基于MALDI-MSI的方法和定量方法对于农药降解研究是可靠且可行的。这些结果为评估氯吡脲对东方甜瓜的潜在风险和影响提供了重要的科学依据。
