Title: Development of a capillary zone electrophoresis method to determine 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid in a plant protection product

Authors: Angela Santilio, Lucilla Cataldi, Roberto Dommarco

Addresses: Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Pesticides Unit, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. ' Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Pesticides Unit, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. ' Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Pesticides Unit, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy

Abstract: Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with diode array detection was successfully used for the analysis of 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) herbicide in an aqueous commercial plant protection product. The performance of the method was studied in terms of accuracy, precision, linearity, Limit of Detection (LOD) and Limit of Quantification (LOQ). Accuracy, expressed as recovery rates, ranged from 92.8% to 101.2% with a RSD of 4.5%. Intra-day repeatability of both relative migration times and relative peak areas was satisfactory, being RSD 0.1% and 2.9%, respectively. Good linearity (r² > 0.99) was also obtained. The LOD of the active substance in the acidic form was 49 µM, whereas the quantification limit was found to be 150 µM. The analysis of the active ingredient content in a plant protection product has been performed also with liquid chromatography; the performance of this method has been studied and a comparison with CZE method has been conducted.

Keywords: CZE; capillary zone electrophoresis; herbicides; liquid chromatography; MCPA; plant protection products; diode array detection.

DOI: 10.1504/IJENVH.2009.024879

International Journal of Environment and Health, 2009 Vol.3 No.2, pp.214 - 223

Published online: 02 May 2009 *

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