Analytical approaches for Fenpropimorph detection in foods: comparative analysis by electroanalytical and chromatographic methods

This study presents an innovative electroanalytical method for detecting the fungicide Fenpropimorph (FPM) in vegetable samples. Initial tests used various supporting electrolytes, with scan potentials from 0.00 V to +1.60 V on a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDD) and from 0.00 V to -1.80 V on a polished solid silver amalgam electrode (p-AgSAE) using square wave voltammetry (SWV). A small voltammetric peak appeared around +1.10 V (vs. Ag/AgCl in KCl 3.00 mol L^₋1) on BDD, while on p-AgSAE, a well-defined voltammetric peak was observed in all tested buffer solutions. Experimental conditions, including pH values and voltammetric parameters (pulse frequency, pulse amplitude, and scan increment), were optimized, resulting in a clearly defined peak on p-AgSAE with suitable intensity, position, and reproducibility for analytical purposes. Analytical parameters were calculated, and the method was applied to vegetable samples (lettuce, tomatoes, and potatoes), which were then compared with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results. Greene's calculator indicated that the proposed procedure is a suitable analytical method for detecting FPM in complex samples.