Secondary Metabolites and Pesticide Screening in Organic and Inorganic Tomatoes by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry and Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the occurrence of pesticides and to analyze the secondary metabolite differences in selected organic and inorganic tomatoes (Variety: Sivam).Materials and Methods: The samples were analyzed for nearly 167 pesticides using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.Results: The samples were analyzed for nearly 167 pesticides in which pesticide residues were found to be absent in organic tomatoes; however, inorganic samples indicated the presence of aldoxycarb (aldicarb sulfone) and pymetrozine. The organic tomatoes contain nearly 27 phytocomponents out of which 9,12‑octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)‑, methyl ester (15.68%), 9,12,15‑octadecatrienoic acid, (Z, Z, Z)‑ (12.78%), 9,12‑octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)‑ (10.26%), ethyl oleate (9.48%), linoleic acid ethyl ester (8.09%), oleic acid (7.60%), pentadecanoic acid, ethyl ester (5.08%), n‑hexadecanoic acid, and dl‑α‑tocopherol (4.90%) are major groups, whereas 24 components were noticed in inorganic samples where 9,12,15‑octadecatrienoic acid, (Z, Z, Z)‑ (23.77%), 9,12‑octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)‑ (11.27%), n‑propyl 9,12‑octadecadienoate (10.93%), ethyl oleate (8.43%), n‑hexadecanoic acid (7.69%), linoleic acid ethyl ester (7.52%), hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester (4.06%), and dl‑α‑tocopherol (3.78%) were majorly found.Conclusion: Organic tomatoes selected were found to be free from pesticide residues with majority of phytocompounds at higher peaks which are found to be beneficial to fight against many diseases.

Keywords: Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; inorganic; liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry; organic; pesticides; phytocomponents; tomatoes