2022 Volume 29 Issue 2 Pages 77-84
Anti-food-terrorism measures are critical for identifying toxic substances and rescuing victims of food terrorism. A rapid analytical method based on liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) was examined to quantify 17 carbamate pesticides in human blood or urine samples. Blood or urine samples were extracted using methanol or acetone and subjected to reversed-phase LC–MS/MS. Sample preparation and LC–MS/MS analysis required approximately 25 and 20 min, respectively. The recoveries of 16 carbamates from blood and urine samples spiked with 50 ng/mL of each pesticide ranged between 13.4% and 164.1% (92.1% and 200.0%) and between 39.0% and 119.5% (36.4% and 112.1%), respectively, when methanol and acetone were used as extractants. Thiodicarb could not be recovered from the blood samples, suggesting that it was enzymatically converted into methomyl. The analytical method used in this study is simple and useful; therefore, it can be used by public health institutions as an anti-food-terrorism measure.
