A method for multi-residue analysis of 24 pesticide residues relevant to the Australian wine industry (14 ONs, 7 OPs, 2 OCs, 1 Carbamate; 15 Fungicides, 7 Insecticides and 2 Herbicides) was systematically developed on the basis of capillary GC.

Pesticide residues were simultaneously extracted with 1:1 dichloromethane/hexane from grapes via liquid liquid extraction and from wine with 1:1 ethyl acetate/hexane via Solid Phase Extraction. These organic extracts were concentrated to dryness, dissolved in dichloromethane and subjected to deactivated acidic aluminium oxide clean up column chromatography.

Accurate quantitation of all pesticide residues were directly determined in one run by EI MS using Selective Ion Monitoring (SIM) versus spiked wine and grape calibrants over the range of 1 to 1000 ppb. The use of MS has great advantages over other detection methods since three or more fragment ions are monitored in the time window in which the compound of interest elutes. One peak is chosen on which to base the quantitation, whereas the other peaks provide confirmation of identity. Full NATA Accreditation has been obtained for the multi-residue analysis of 18 of these pesticide residues more relevant to the Australian wine industry.