Analysis of Organo-Metallic Fungicides and Related Compounds by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

Abstract

Abstract A method is proposed for the analysis of organo-metallic fungicides (derivatives of thiocarbamic acids) and related compounds by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The effect of chloride and nitrate anions on absorption and sensitivity was investigated. The differences in the results by use of a single Zeiss or three Beckman burners with the spectrometer’s 5-pass optical system were negligible. Yellow wax bean and cucumber leaves were stripped with chloroform and with pyridine and analyzed for their external cation content. The standard recoveries of zinc added to the leaf extract were 95–100% with chloroform and 100–102% with pyridine. Calibration curves were established for the determination of the metal content of maneb (manganous ethylenebisdithiocarbamate), manganous acetylacetonate, ferbam (ferric dimethyldithiocarbamate), iron acetylacetonate, ziram (zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate), zineb (zinc ethylenebisdithiocarbamate), and zinc acetylacetonate. The most favorable concentration ranges for the analysis of zinc, iron, and manganese (10–50% absorption) are 0.07–0.50, 0.70–5.0, and 0.4–2.0 ppm, respectively.