USGS-NWQL: O-3402-03:  Organophosphate pesticides, Whole water, Gas Chromatography

  • Summary
  • Analytes
  • Revision
  • Data and Sites
Official Method Name
Organophosphate pesticides, Whole water, Gas Chromatography
Current Revision
2003
Media
WATER
Instrumentation
Gas Chromatograph (Unspecified Detector)
Method Subcategory
Organic
Method Source
  USGS-NWQL
Citation
Jha, V.K., and Wydoski, D.S., 2003, Methods of Analysis of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory ? Determination of Organophosphate Pesticides in Whole Water by Continuous Liquid-Liquid Extraction and Capillary-Column Gas Chromatography with Flame Photometric Detection, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4139, 34 p.
Brief Method Summary
Reagent grade NaCl (60 g) is added to all field samples for preservation, including laboratory blank and spike samples. Organophosphates and degradates are extracted from whole-water samples using continuous liquid-liquid extraction, and methylene chloride is used as an extraction solvent. The extract is concentrated down to 4 to 6 mL on a heating mantle. The concentrate is further evaporated by using nitrogen to a volume of 1 mL. Finally, the extracts are solvent exchanged to ethyl acetate and analyzed by capillary-column GC/FPD with the external standard quantitation method.
Scope and Application
This method is suitable for the determination of 20 parent organophosphate pesticides (OPs) and 5 related OP degradation products in whole-water samples. Three of the compounds -- disulfoton, ethion monoxon, and O-ethyl-O-methyl-S-propylphosphorothioate -- are reported permanently with an estimated concentration because of variable instrumental and extraction stability problems.
This method is applicable to the determination of pesticides and pesticide degradates that are (1) efficiently isolated from the sample matrix with methylene chloride extraction using a continuous liquid-liquid extractor, (2) chromatographically resolved and identified using a gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with flame photometric detectors (FPD), and (3) sufficiently stable to chemical or thermal degradation to allow accurate quantification by using all sampling and analysis steps of the method.
Applicable Concentration Range
0.005-0.100
Interferences
There are many organophosphate compounds in natural matrices that GC/FPD will detect. This method is designed to minimize false positives through dual GC column confirmation. Mass-spectral confirmation also should be used to confirm identification, if uncertain. Sulfur and organosulfur compounds and unknown organophosphate compounds occasionally might interfere with qualification and quantification of other individual organophosphate compounds.
Quality Control Requirements
Minimum QC requirements include the following: (1) analysis of laboratory reagent blank (LRB); (2) determination of surrogate standard compound recoveries in each sample, LRB, and laboratory reagent spike (LRS); (3) determination of compound recoveries in the LRS; and (4) assessment of the GC/FPD chromatographic performance.
Sample Handling
Samples are collected in pre-cleaned and baked 1-L, 33-mm neck, amber glass bottles with Teflon-lined screw caps and shipped chilled by overnight mail to the laboratory. After the samples are logged into the laboratory information management system, 60 g of NaCl is added to the samples for preservation and they are stored at 4oC until ready for extraction (usually within 7 days).
Maximum Holding Time
7 days
Relative Cost
Sample Preparation Methods