Abstract: A multi-residue analysis method was developed for the determination of 121 pesticides in Houttuynia cordata Thunb. by the QuEChERS extraction procedure (the abbreviation of quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) coupled with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (QuEChERS-GC-MS/MS). This method was applied for screening of 68 sample batches. The pesticide residues from the samples were extracted with acetonitrile and purified by a modified QuEChERS method before being detected by GC-MS/MS in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The results showed that all 121 pesticides exhibited good linearity in certain ranges with correlation coefficients (r) higher than 0.997 3. The recoveries of more than 90.9% pesticides ranged from 60% to 140% at three spiked concentration levels, with relative standard deviations of less than 15% for 86.8% of the pesticides. The limits of detection (RSN = 3) of this method ranged from 0.000 1 to 0.1 mg/kg, below 0.01 mg/kg for most of the selected pesticides. A total of 27 pesticide residues were detected from the 68 sample batches. This simple, sensitive and accurate method proved to be suitable for the fast screening and detection of pesticide residues in H. cordata Thunb. in order to provide?a?basis for the cultivation and circulation supervision of H. cordata Thunb..

Key words: Houttuynia cordata Thunb.; pesticide residues; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; QuEChERS