Polarographic determination of thiabendazole

Abstract

Polarographic Determination of Thiabendazole Thiabendazole is used as a fungistat on citrus fruit to protect it from decay. In order to work out a polarographic determination the electrochemical behaviour of thiabendazole was investigated by sampledd c polarography and differential pulse polarography. Thiabendazole shows one wave or peak in the polarogram, when a short drop time (0.4 s) is used. Detection is most sensitive at pH 8. The current measured is proportional to the concentration. The detection limit is 0.5 ppm. By evaluating further experimental data it was possible to conclude, that mercury is first oxidised. Thereby two electrons are exchanged. Then mercury(II) ions formed in this way react with two molecules thiabendazole. Two protons are involved in this chemical process. Applying drop times greater than 0.4 s and concentrations higher than 1.5·10−4 M a polarogram with two peaks is formed. This is due to the adsorption of the reaction product. For quantitative determination several citrus fruits were peeled and the peels were extracted with ethylacetate. After removing interfering substances by shaking with sodium hydroxide solution, thiabendazole was extracted by diluted hydrochloric acid and quantitatively determined by differential pulse polarography. The recovery of thiabendazole is 70.0% with a relative standard deviation of 2.9%. For all samples investigated the thiabendazole concentrations were below the permitted value.