Malathion techniques

In the adsorption with Tenax alone satisfactory results were obtained, while in the presence of mineral oil a considerable proportion of the organophos-phorus pesticides (particularly Malathion and Parathion-methyl) was not adsorbed and was recovered in the filtered water. This drawback can be overcome by adding a layer of Celite 545 which, in order to prevent blocking of the column, is mixed with silanised glass wool plugs. A number of analyses of surface and estuarine sea waters were carried out by this modified Tenax column and simultaneously by the liquid-liquid extraction technique. To some of the samples taken, standard mixtures of pesticides were also added, each at the level of 1 xg/l (i.e., in concentration from 13 to 500 times higher than that usually found in the waters analysed). One recovery trial also specifically concerned polychlorobiphenyls. The results obtained in these tests show that the two extraction methods, when applied to surface waters that were not filtered before extraction, yielded very similar results for many insecticides, with the exception of compounds of the DDT series, for which discordant results were frequently obtained. 

These techniques are useful for the separation of complex mixtures. Quantitative analyses have been reported on malathion pesticide in vegetable matter, limonin in grapefruit peel, and additives in compound rubber by means of SEC and RPC126>. SEC was performed with unstabilized THF and monitored at 215 nm. Working so near to the UV cut-off (210 nm) of THF was possible through the use of a detector with a flowing reference installed between the pump and the sample valve. Then the eluent passed the column and finally the analytical cell. Since the column back pressure never exceeded 10 MPa, this eluent line caused no problems. 

Pesticides can be analyzed on a C18 column, the chlorinated hydrocarbon type (chlordane) at 80% An/water UV, 220 nm, the carbamate type (sevin) at 40% An/water UV, 254 nm, and the organic phospahate (malathion) at 50% An/water with UV, 192 nm or with a CAD. The organic phosphate types are hard to detect at low concentration and various phosphate analysis techniques have been evaluated. LC/MS, where available, is the technique of choice for analyzing all of these pesticides, but especially the organic phosphates, in a general gradient HPLC scheme. 

The technique was used to determine several organophosphorus pesticides (E)- and (Z)-Mevinphos, Dichlorvos, Azinphos-methyl, Azinphosethyl, Parathion-methyl, Parathion-ethyl, Malathion, Fenitrothion, Fenthion, Chlorfenvinphos and Diazinon, in groundwater. 

Information is provided on the occurrence, environmental fate, available analytical methods, and treatment techniques foraldrin, ammonia, antimony, beryllium, boron, chlorpyrifos, isophorone, malathion, p-nitrophenol, phenol, silver, and thallium. 

Kaedtisukc S., Dhcranetra, W., and Fukuo. T. R. (1989). Detection of kidney damage by malathion impurities using a microdissection technique. Toxicol. Lett. 47,53-59. 

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