Degradation of Phosmet in Cherries (Prunus cerasus): Investigations into Possible Artifactual Degradation of Phosmet to Phthalimide

This work sought to address the problem of the possible artifactual generation of a degradation product, phthalimide, from the insecticide phosmet in cherries (Prunus cerasus) when analyzed via different chromatographic techniques. Artifactual generation is when the procedure or technique itself causes the generation of the product and it is not naturally present prior to the procedure or technique being performed. Three gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) methods and a liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method were used in this work. The three GC-MS/MS methods varied in their injection mode and temperatures to provide comparison to LC-MS/MS where the temperature does not increase until after the chromatographic separation is complete.