Determination of N-methylcarbamate pesticides in foods using an accelerated solvent extraction with a mini-column cleanup.

Residual N-methylcarbamate pesticides in food were determined by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and HPLC with post-column fluorescence. Pesticides were extracted with acetonitrile at 100 degrees C under 2000 psi pressure in less than 20 min. Extracts were cleaned-up with a carboxylic acid mini-column eluted with 10% or 30% acetone in hexane. Eight foods were spiked with 17 pesticides at 0.2 ppm. The average recoveries of these pesticides were 70-100% and the relative standard deviations were < 10%. These results suggested that ASE can be used to extract residues of N-methylcarbamate pesticides in foods.