New Techniques for Extraction and Removal of Pesticide Residues

A special issue of Separations (ISSN 2297-8739). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Separations".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 452

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
College of Plant Science and Technology, Department of Plant Protection, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
Interests: adsorbents; nanomaterials; extraction and removal of pesticide residue; food quality and safety

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

During the last decade, the pervasive contamination of pesticides in agricultural ecosystems and food supply chains poses escalating threats to environmental integrity and public health. Conventional methods for pesticide residue analysis frequently encounter limitations in sensitivity, selectivity, and efficiency, particularly when addressing complex matrices or emerging contaminants. To mitigate these challenges, the development of advanced extraction and removal technologies has become imperative.

These innovations aim to enhance detection accuracy, reduce processing time, and minimize secondary pollution while complying with global regulatory standards.

This Special Issue focuses on disseminating cutting-edge research in pesticide residue analysis, emphasizing novel methodologies, such as nano-material-based sorbents, green solvent systems, molecularly imprinted polymers, and hybrid purification platforms.

The topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Advanced Extraction Technologies
  • Nanomaterial-Based Sorbents: Development of functionalized nanomaterials for selective adsorption of pesticide residues, improving extraction efficiency, and reducing matrix interference.
  • Green Solvent Systems: Exploration of eco-friendly solvents to replace traditional organic solvents, minimizing environmental pollution and enhancing safety in extraction workflows.
  • Automated and High-Throughput Techniques: Integration of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) with automation platforms for rapid, large-scale sample processing, particularly in complex matrices, such as fruits, vegetables, and soil.
  1. Multidisciplinary Analytical Approaches
  • AI-Driven Workflow Optimization: Machine learning models for predicting optimal extraction parameters, reducing trial-and-error experiments, and accelerating method development.
  • Multi-Residue and Trace-Level Detection: Development of hypersensitive detection systems (e.g., LC-MS/MS and GC-MS) coupled with advanced sample preparation to simultaneously quantify ultra-trace pesticides in diverse matrices.
  1. Innovative Purification Strategies
  • Hybrid Purification Platforms: Combining physical (e.g., adsorption and filtration), chemical (e.g., oxidation), and biological (e.g., enzymatic degradation) methods to achieve comprehensive residue removal while preserving sample integrity.
  • Electrochemical and Nanomaterial-Assisted Purification: Utilization of electrochemical reactors or nano-adsorbents (e.g., metal–organic frameworks) for targeted degradation of persistent pesticides, such as organophosphates and chlorinated compounds.

Dr. Zhonghua Yang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • pesticide multi-residue analysis
  • green extraction
  • smart purification
  • environmental remediation
  • AI-driven optimization

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 1616 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Extraction Techniques for Wide Screening of 230 Pesticides in Water
by Caterina Cacciatori, Jackie Myers, Giulio Mariani, Hung Vu, Bernd Manfred Gawlik and Vincent Pettigrove
Separations 2025, 12(6), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/separations12060158 - 9 Jun 2025
Viewed by 296
Abstract
In this study, weekly grab samples extracted by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) were compared for the analysis of 230 pesticides in surface waters. Samples were collected from three different locations around Melbourne, Australia. Analysis was performed using Gas [...] Read more.
In this study, weekly grab samples extracted by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) were compared for the analysis of 230 pesticides in surface waters. Samples were collected from three different locations around Melbourne, Australia. Analysis was performed using Gas Chromatography Quadrupole Time of Flight High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (GC-QToF-HRMS). The two extraction techniques were compared, among others, for their limits of detection, recovery, extraction, and quantification efficiency of pesticides, as well as spatial and temporal differences in detected compounds. The target compounds screened were pesticides belonging mainly to the categories of fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides. Although SBSE extracted more pesticides at two out of three sites, SPE extracted total concentrations up to four times higher than SBSE over all sampling sites. The log KOW of detected pesticides only partially explained the differences in detection, with SBSE performing better in the absorption of hydrophobic compounds. In addition, matrix effects, in particular turbidity, appeared to hinder extraction of contaminants, especially for SBSE. Spatially, SBSE detected 10 pesticides more than SPE at two locations, while the opposite was true at the third location, where turbidity was higher. The types of pesticides detected varied slightly between techniques and locations. The study highlights the complementarity of SBSE and SPE for monitoring pesticides in natural environments. SBSE is an easy-to-use technique and allows for extraction of a higher number of pesticides at trace level, but it might not be the preferred option for highly turbid waters. SPE requires more tedious and complex sample processing but allows for a more accurate quantification of a broader range of pesticides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Techniques for Extraction and Removal of Pesticide Residues)
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