Chromatographic Comparison of Commercially Available Columns for Liquid Chromatography in Polar Pesticide Detection and Quantification Using a Score-Based Methodology

The detection and quantification of polar pesticides in liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry present significant analytical challenges. This study compares the performance of three LC columns (Hypercarb™, Raptor Polar X™, and Anionic Polar Pesticide™) in separating and quantifying eleven polar pesticides in chicken eggs using a score-based methodology. Analytes include glyphosate, its metabolites, and other high-polarity pesticides like Ethephon, Glufosinate, and Fosetyl aluminum, included in the EU’s official control plan. Polar pesticides, characterized by high polarity and hydrophilicity, lead to analytical issues such as poor retention and unconventional peak shapes with traditional reversed-phase methods. Their weak interaction with hydrophobic stationary phases complicates separation, necessitating specific stationary phases to enhance retention and selectivity. This study evaluates these columns’ efficacy in complex matrices like chicken eggs and other food samples. Chromatographic separation was performed using a UPLC system coupled with a Q-TOF mass spectrometer; extraction and purification involved freeze-out, centrifugation, and filtration steps. The study highlights the critical role of column selection in achieving accurate and reliable separation and quantification of highly polar analytes in matrices of animal origin, offering in the meantime an easy-to-apply methodology of selection for the right determination of the best chromatographic column for different purposes.