Development and validation of an analytical method for quantification of sulfuryl fluoride residues in agricultural products using gas chromatography with electron capture detection

Sulfuryl fluoride (SF) is used as a broad-spectrum fumigant due to toxicity against target pests, good dispersion, and a good penetrating ability. An analytical method for SF quantification in agricultural products was developed and validated to ensure food safety. SF residues were extracted from agricultural product samples using water in an airtight blender jar. Subsequently, an aliquot of the headspace was analyzed using capillary GC with an electron capture detector. Results were confirmed using GC-MS. The linear range of SF was 0.01–1.0 μg/mL with a correlation coefficient ( r 2 ) of 0.999. Average SF recovery values ranged from 74.1 to 108.9% from spiked levels of 0.04–2.0 mg/kg, and the relative standard deviation was 0.5–6.8%. The limit of detection and the limit of quantification were 0.01 and 0.04 mg/L, respectively.