Comparison of Ionization Techniques for the Analysis of Trace-Level Pyrethroid Insecticides by GC-MS/MS

A study was carried out using the Bruker SCION TQ GC-MS/MS to screen a group of pyrethroid insecticides
at low concentrations in complex matrices including sewage outfall and ocean sediments. A comparison
between electron impact and negative chemical ionization techniques in terms of the calibration range, method detection limits and precision was also conducted.

The GC-MS/MS approach with MRM demonstrated excellent specificity and sensitivity overall, with negative
chemical ionization demonstrating the best results for most of the pyrethroids studied.