Application of Solid-Phase Microextraction for the Determination of Organonitrogen Pesticides in Aqueous Samples by Gas Chromatography with Nitrogen-Phosphorus Detector

Abstract

A method based on solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography nitrogen-phosphorus detector for the determination of common organonitrogen pesticides (ONPs) in aqueous samples was described. Three kinds of commercially available coated fused-silica fibres were compared: 100 µm PDMS, 85 µm PA, and 65 µm CW-DVB; 65 µm CW-DVB was the most sensitive fibre coating for the analytes' determination. The extraction time, the stirring, the content of salt, and the content of organic solvents were found to have a significant influence on extraction efficiency. The optimised conditions were 65 µm CW-DVB fibre, 40 min extraction time, with rapid stirring and concentration of NaCl was fixed at 0.25 g/mL. The linear range was 0.1-100 µg/L for most of the compounds. The limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.02 mg/L (for trifluralin, simazine, terbuthylazine, cyanazine, and pendimethalin) to 0.08 µg/L (for terbutryn) and RSD % of repeatability were for most of the compounds below 10%. Thus the maximum level set by the European Union for pesticides and drinking waters can be verified. The recovery of spiked water samples was compared and validated with the liquid-liquid extraction one. Environmental water samples were analysed and trifluraline was detected.