Determination of abamectin residues in edible oils by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

A rapid and simple HPLC-fluorescence detection method has been developed for the determination of abamectin residues in edible oil. Residues are extracted with acetonitrile and by vortexing and then directly derivatized with no need for a time-consuming cleanup step. Trifluoroacetic anhydride and N-methylimidazole were used as derivatizing agents of abamectin. Abamectin was detected and quantitated with fluorescence detection (excitation: 365 nm; emission: 475 nm), and methanol was used as the mobile phase. The LOD was 0.001 mg/kg and the LOQ was 0.003 mg/kg. The recoveries ranged from 86 to 100.4% with satisfactory precision (RSD < 10.1%). This method proved to be sensitive, environmentally friendly, time-saving, and efficient.