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Nanotubes

Breakthrough in Pesticide Detection Using Carbon Nanotubes

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University have made a significant discovery in the field of pesticide detection using a modified QuEChERS purification liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. This innovative approach employs carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as single-category sorbents to identify 27 pesticide residues in Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat (C. morifolium). The study highlights the effectiveness of this method in detecting pesticide residues, with recoveries ranging from 71.6% to 116.7% and relative standard deviations less than 10%.

Key Takeaways:

  • The modified QuEChERS-UPLC-MS/MS method uses carboxylated MWCNTs as single-category sorbents to identify 27 pesticide residues in C. morifolium.
  • The method demonstrates high pesticide recoveries at three spiked levels, with recoveries ranging from 71.6% to 116.7% and relative standard deviations less than 10%.
  • Two detected pesticides, omethoate and epoxiconazole, pose a negligible risk to consumer health, with hazard quotients less than 0.85%.
  • The study establishes an optimized QuEChERS-UPLC-MS/MS method to identify multiclass residues, enhancing the understanding of the potential exposure risk of omethoate and epoxiconazole in C. morifolium.
  • The researchers estimated the transfer rates of the two detected pesticides to the infusion, ranging from 9.4% to 25.4%.
  • The study's findings suggest that the modified QuEChERS-UPLC-MS/MS method is a reliable and effective tool for pesticide detection and residue level assessment.
  • Jiazhao Ruan and co-authors developed the new method, which enables the identification of 27 pesticide residues in C. morifolium using MWCNTs.

Statistics:

  • The limit of quantification (LOQ) for the detected pesticides was between 1.62 mg·kg-1 to 4.68 mg·kg-1.
  • The pesticide recoveries ranged from 71.6% to 116.7% with a relative standard deviation less than 10%.
  • The transfer rates of the detected pesticides to the infusion ranged from 9.4% to 25.4%.
  • The hazard quotients for the detected pesticides were less than 0.85%.

Sources:

  • VerticalNews. "Researchers Yield New Study Findings on Carbon Nanotubes." Nanotechnology Weekly, 2025, p 5486.
  • Ruan, J., et al. "Development of a modified QuEChERS-UPLC-MS/MS method based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes for 27 pesticide residues followed by determination of the residue levels and dietary intake risk assessment in Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat." Food Chemistry: X, 2025, 31():103154. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2025.103154.

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