A rapid procedure has been developed that allows a single-step, selective extraction and cleanup of organophosphate (OP) pesticide residues from milk dispersed on solid-matrix diatomaceous material filled into disposable cartridges by means of light petroleum saturated with acetonitrile and ethanol. Recovery experiments were carried out on homogenized commercial milk (3.6% fat content) spiked with ethanolic solutions of 24 OP pesticides, viz., ethoprophos, diazinon, dimethoate, chlorpyrifos-methyl, parathion-methyl, chlorpyrifos-ethyl, malathion, isofenphos, quinalphos, ethion, pyrazophos, azinphosethyl, heptenophos, omethoate, fonofos, pirimiphos-methyl, fenitrothion, parathion, chlorfenvinphos, phenthoate, methidathion, triazophos, phosalone, azinphos-methyl, at levels ranging for the different OP pesticides from 0.02 mg/kg to 1.11 mg/kg. Average recoveries of four replicates were in the range 72-109% for the different OP pesticides, with relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) from ca. 1 to 19%, while dimethoate and omethoate were not recovered. Coextracted fatty material amounted to an average of about 4.0 mg/ml of milk. The extraction procedure requires about 30 min. The main advantages are that extraction and cleanup are carried out in a single step, emulsions do not occur, several samples can be run in parallel by a single operator, reusable glassware is not needed and simple operations are required.
        
Title: On-column partition cleanup of fatty extracts for organophosphate pesticide residue determination Di Muccio A, Cicero AM, Camoni I, Pontecorvo D, Dommarco R Ref: J Assoc Off Analytical Chemistry, 70:106, 1987 : PubMed
A fast, single-step, and efficient partition between n-hexane and acetonitrile on ready-to-use, disposable mini-columns of Kieselghur-type material has been developed for the cleanup of fatty extracts for organophosphate (OP) pesticide residue determination by gas chromatography with flame photometric detection. Nine OP pesticides (diazinon, etrimfos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, pyrimiphos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, bromophos, bromophos-ethyl, malathion, fenitrothion) most commonly used for protection of stored cereals, oil seeds, and legumes were separated from up to 2.0 g lipidic material with recoveries between 80 and 107% at spiking levels ranging for the different compounds from 0.1 to 5.0 ppm.