Work

Miniaturized UAE–SPE-d-SPE–HPLC–UV method for trace determination of triazine herbicides in corn tortillas

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: An analytical methodology was developed for simultaneous extraction and determination of triazine herbicides atrazine and simazine in maize tortillas. This method combined ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) using a methanol:water mixture followed by simple and rapid miniaturized solid-phase extraction-dispersive solid-phase extraction (SPE-d-SPE) concentration and a clean-up step using C18/PS-DVB sorbents. Only 100 μL of the extract was obtained through effective matrix simplification. This allowed determination of herbicides using HPLC–UV with good linearity (R 2 > 0.99) (range of 50–250 ng g −1 ) and limits of detection and quantification in the ranges of 20–50 and 20–60 ng g −1 for atrazine and simazine, respectively, enabling monitoring at the maximum residue limit (MRL) established for maize (250 ng g −1 ). Precision was less than 7.5%, and recoveries were 71% for simazine and 76% for atrazine. The proposed method proved robust across tortillas prepared from maize of different varieties and origins in Mexico. This approach provides a reliable and miniaturized tool for trace-level determination of triazine herbicides, supporting food safety monitoring of maize-based products.

Source: Food Chemistry

DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.151876

Authors: Martha Patricia García de Llasera, Carlos Martínez Rodríguez

Institution: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Language: English

Topic: Pesticide Residue Analysis and Safety

Subfield: Food Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,930