Determination of Organochlorine Pesticides in Soil Using PHWE-SPE-SPME/GC-ECD Method

Abstract

A method based on pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE), followed by solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled with solid phase microextraction (SPME) and determination by gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) was developed for determination of 19 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) (I±-, I²-, I³-, I´, Iµ-isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane, 4,4′-DDE, 2,4′-DDE, 4,4′-TDE, 2,4′-TDE, 2,4′-DDT and 4,4′-DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide isomer A, heptachlor epoxide isomer B, I±-endosulfan, I²-endosulfan and hexachlorobenzene) in soil. The limits of detection were between 1.69 ng/kg for hexachlorobenzene and 50.4 ng/kg for 4,4'-DDT. The analytical method was applied for determination of OCPs in soil samples, collected in Cluj-Napoca area, Romania. Levels of OCPs were determined in five soil samples collected in rural area near Cluj-Napoca, Romania using the PHWE-SPE-SPME/GC-ECD method. OCPs were detected in all of the samples, with a total concentration ranging from 1.99 to 7.85 µg/kg. The most predominant compounds were HCH and DDT isomers.