Pesticides in fruits and vegetables from the Souss Massa region, Morocco.

This survey reports the monitoring of multi-pesticide residues of some fruits and vegetables sold in the local markets, sampled in 2018-2019, in the Souss Massa region in Morocco. A QuEChERS-LC-MS/MS method for 202 pesticides, belonging to different classes (carbamates, organophosphorus and organonitrogen pesticides) was applied and 51 samples were randomly bought from the local market, belonging to different products (tomato, cucumber, coriander, apricot, parsley, potato, zucchini, green bean, lettuce, strawberry and orange) and analysed for pesticide residues, which were detected in 69% of the samples, below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for some pesticides which represent 14% of the targeted compounds. The most frequently detected compounds were acetamiprid, acibenzolar-s-methyl, abamectin, azoxystrobin, bifenazate, bitertanol, bromuconazole, butoxycarboxim, cyromazine, difenoconazole, epoxiconazole, fenbuconazole, fluometuron, linuron, metaflumizone, metconazole, metribuzin, myclobutanil, pirimicarb, pyraclostrobin, propamocarb, rotenone, trichlorfon, tebuconazole, tetraconazole, thiamethoxam and thiophanate-methyl.

Optimization and validation of a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the determination of aflatoxins in maize.

A LC-MS/MS method has been optimized and validated for the determination of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2) in maize. Extraction was performed using a modified QuEChERS method with little sample preparation without the need for purification procedure. Determination was performed by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS).

Contents of cadmium, mercury and lead in fish from the Atlantic sea (Morocco) determined by atomic absorption spectrometry.

As a part of a specific monitoring program, lead (Pb) cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) concentrations in important species of fish from various fishing ports of the southern Kingdom of Morocco (Sardina pilchardus, Scomber scombrus, Plectorhinchus mediterraneus, Trachurus trachurus, Octopus vulgaris, Boops boops, Sarda sarda, Trisopterus capelanus, and Conger conger) were investigated by the Moroccan Reference Laboratory (NRL) for trace elements in foodstuffs of animal origin. The samples were analysed for lead and cadmium by a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS); and for mercury by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). The results were expressed as μg/g of wet weight (w/w).