Analysing transformation products of herbicide residues in environmental samples

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 35; no. 6; pp. 1371 - 1378
• Main Authors: Juhler, R.K, Sørensen, S.R, Larsen, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Analysis methods; Applied sciences; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; degradation; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; groundwater; Herbicides - analysis; Herbicides - chemistry; HPLC; metabolites; Natural water pollution; pesticide; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Sensitivity and Specificity; soil; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water treatment and pollution; degradation; groundwater; soil; metabolites; pesticide; HPLC; Soils; Chemical analysis; Metabolite; Pesticides; HPLC chromatography; Water pollution; Degradation product; Herbicide; Ground water
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/S0043-1354(00)00409-7

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods were developed for the optimised determination of five herbicide residues (dichlorprop, isoproturon, mecoprop, metsulfuron-methyl and 2,4,5-T) and major metabolites. These compounds represent important groups of herbicides and several residues have been found as contaminants in groundwater. The methods make it possible to study these herbicides and several transformation products through simultaneous detection and quantification. Culture media as well as cleaned up extracts from sediment and groundwater can be analysed. Using HPLC with UV detection the general limit of quantification was 1.8 ng injected corresponding to a detection limit of 1–2 μg/l when analysing a cleaned up extract from a 20 ml water sample. The method was verified by analysing herbicide residues in groundwater collected from a wetland area. Cleaning up 20 ml groundwater with a residue level of 25 μg/l the general recovery was within 58–82%.