Pesticide residue determination in fruit and vegetables by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry

An overview is given of pesticide residue determination in fruit and vegetables by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Emphasis is placed on the thermospray, particle beam and atmospheric pressure ionization interfaces including advantages and drawbacks and typical detection limits. The capacity of each interface to provide useful data for identification/confirmation of analytes and the possibility of obtaining structural information for the identification of target and non-target compounds is discussed. Finally, sample preparation techniques are dealt with in relation to their influence on further LC–MS determination.