title: Determination of Glyphosate Levels in Breast Milk Samples from Germany by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS.
abstract: This study describes the validation and application of two independent analytical methods for the determination of glyphosate in breast milk. They are based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), respectively. For LC-MS/MS, sample preparation involved an ultrafiltration followed by chromatography on an anion exchange column. The analysis by GC-MS/MS involved an extraction step, cleanup on a cation exchange column, and derivatization with heptafluorobutanol and trifluoroacetic acid anhydride. Both methods were newly developed for breast milk and are able to quantify glyphosate residues at concentrations as low as 1 ng/mL. The methods were applied to quantify glyphosate levels in 114 breast milk samples, which had been collected from August to September of 2015 in Germany. The mothers participated at their own request and thus do not form a representative sample. In none of the investigated samples were glyphosate residues above the limit of detection found.
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment , Department of Pesticides Safety, Max-Dohrn-Strasse 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinborn
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment , Department of Pesticides Safety, Max-Dohrn-Strasse 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alder
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment , Department of Pesticides Safety, Max-Dohrn-Strasse 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Michalski
authors.affiliation: RIKILT Wageningen UR, Natural Toxins and Pesticides, Akkermaalsbos 2, 6708 WB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zomer
authors.affiliation: PTRL Europe, Helmholtzstrasse 22, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bendig
authors.affiliation: PTRL Europe, Helmholtzstrasse 22, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Sandra Aleson
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: RIKILT Wageningen UR, Natural Toxins and Pesticides, Akkermaalsbos 2, 6708 WB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hans G J
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Mol
authors.affiliation: PTRL Europe, Helmholtzstrasse 22, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Class
authors.affiliation: Governmental Institute of Public Health of Lower Saxony , Roesebeckstrasse 4-6, 30449 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Nathalie Costa
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D005858:Germany; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D000097797:Glyphosate
chemical_list: D005998:Glycine; D000097797:Glyphosate
keywords: GC-MS/MS; LC-MS/MS; breast milk; glyphosate; residues