Abstract:Objective A simple and rapid QuEChERS-high performance chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method was developed for the determination of 4 pesticides, imidacloprid, indoxacarb, phoxim and carbofuran, in bamboo shoots. Methods The residues were extracted from the bamboo shoots with acetonitrile and cleaned up with N-propyl ethylenediamine (PSA), then detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry under multiple reaction monitroring mode (MRM), and quantified by matrix-match calibration curves. Results The recoveries in samples were between 72.4%-92.8% at three spiked levels from 4 to 40 μg/kg, with relative standard deviations of 1.5%-9.2%(n=3). The limits of detection (LOD) of four pesticides were 0.4 μg/kg, while limits of quantification (LOQ) were 1.2 μg/kg. The linear ranges were 0.5-20.0 ng/ml and the correlation coefficients (r2) were above 0.991. Conclusion The method of QuEChERS combined with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was accurate, sensitive, simple and convenient for the determination of the 4 pesticide residues, imidacloprid, indoxacarb, phoxim and carbofuran, in bamboo shoots.