Quantitation of 13 azole fungicides in wine samples by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method has been developed for the direct quantitation of residues of 13 azole fungicides in wine and has been successfully applied to 103 wine samples. The method utilizing 25 transitions is highly sensitive and specific with centrifugation as the only sample work-up step. Precision was better than 14% and accuracy ranged between 80 and 120%. Quantitation limits (LOQs) ranged between 0.25 (penconazole) and 7.5 ng/mL (triadimefon). Since the LOQs achieved are at least four times lower than the maximum residue levels for azole-fungicides in wine prescribed, the method presented here can be conveniently used as a screening assay for azole-residues in wine samples.