Research Information System
Microchemical Journal, vol.226, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
The widespread application of plant growth regulators (PGRs) in agricultural production, particularly in vegetables and fruits, has raised significant concerns regarding the associated risks to consumer health and safety. This study introduces a method for detecting trace levels of chlorflurenol-methyl (CFM) through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The analytical method was developed by integrating a standardized QuEChERS extraction with an optimized spray-assisted droplet formation-based liquid-phase microextraction (SADF-LPME) procedure for the sensitive detection of chlorflurenol-methyl under optimal chromatographic conditions. Key validation parameters, including limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), relative standard deviation (RSD%), linear range (LR), and coefficient of determination (R2), all showed excellent results. The LOD and LOQ were 0.083 ng g−1 and 0.276 ng g−1, respectively, with a linear range of 0.24–53.60 ng g−1 (R2 = 0.9998). Chlorflurenol-methyl was successfully extracted from baby food samples, with no signal detected for unspiked samples at the expected retention time. Accuracy was confirmed by recovery experiments, with recovery rates ranging from 86.1% to 102.8%, and matrix-matching calibration further improved quantification precision. In addition, the greenness and practical applicability of the developed method were evaluated using the AGREEprep and BAGI tools, yielding scores of 0.49 and 65, respectively. These results indicate that the method demonstrates considerable alignment with green chemistry principles and offers a sustainable and practical approach for sample preparation and analysis.