A rapid method for the simultaneous identification and quantification of pesticide residues in edible seaweed has been developed. Target analytes were three pyrethroid, a carbamate and two organophosphorus pesticides. The procedure consists of a pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) with integrated clean-up, followed by gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Five PLE parameters were investigated using a screening design: temperature, static extraction time, number of cycles, percent of flush volume and quantitative composition of the n-hexane/ethyl acetate extraction solvent. The effect of the in-cell clean-up with Florisil and graphitized carbon black adsorbents was investigated using a Doehlert response surface design. Large volumes of sample extracts were injected using a programmed-temperature vaporizer (PTV-LVI) to improve both sensitivity and selectivity of measurements. Quantification was carried by the internal standard method with surrogate deuterated standards. The method showed excellent linearity (R2>0.999) and precision (relative standard deviation, RSD < or = 8%) for all compounds, with detection limits ranging from 0.3 pg g(-1) for chlorpyrifos-ethyl, to 3.0 pg g(-1) for carbaryl (23.1 pg g(-1) for deltamethrin). Recoveries in real seaweed samples were within the range 82-108%. The method was satisfactory validated for the analysis of wild and cultivated edible seaweeds. The presence of pyrethroid and organophosphorus pesticides in some of the samples was evidenced.
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