Determination of dimethoate, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, mecoprop and linuron pesticides in environmental waters in Republic of Macedonia by high performance liquid chromatography

Abstract

An HPLC-UVDAD method for determination of dimethoate, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D), mecoprop (MCPP) and linuron in environmental waters was developed. The water samples were concentrated and extracted by a solid phase extraction (SPE) method on Bond Elut PPL cartridges. After extraction the investigated compounds were separated on Stability RP Pesticides chromatographic column using mobile phase composed of acetonitrile- water-acetic acid in volume fractions of 39:59:2 and flow rate of 0.7 mL/min. Ultraviolet absorption detection was carried out for dimethoate, 2,4-D and MCPP at 229 nm, and for linuron at 249 nm. Recoveries made from 500 mL of drinking waters using solid phase extraction ranged between 64.3–92.1 %. The method was applied to environmental waters in Macedonia that receive runoffs from agriculture lands. The levels of pesticides under study ranged between 0.31 μg/L and 7.05 μg/L, depending on the compound and sampling period.

Luminescence methods for study and determination of pollutants in the environment

“…Indeed, since several decades it is well known that the atmosphere, natural waters and soils are polluted worldwide by a number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organo-chlorinated compounds, pesticides and heavy metals at trace levels [1,2]. For example, pesticide residues and other organic micropollutants have been recently found in the air and rainwater of rural as well as urban regions of developed countries [3,4], as well as in the natural waters of many rivers and lakes [5,6]. Therefore, it is very important to establish and improve sensitive and selective analytical methods and procedures for identifying, detecting and determining pollutants in the environment.…”

“…Chromatographic, multi-residues methods remain one of the preferred tools for the characterization and determination of low levels of pollutants in the environment [3,5,6]. However, luminescence spectrometry has also been proposed for the study and determination of chemical species, and several improved luminescence analytical methods and procedures have been developed in recent years [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”

Study of organochlorine pesticide residues in water, sediment and fish tissue in Lake Ohrid (Macedonia/Albania)

“…The investigations completed by Nestorovska-Krsteska et al [24] which were undertaken on samples of water collected from the surface water in the Republic of Macedonia (including Ohrid Lake) indicated a presence of some pesticides. The registered pesticides were dimethoate, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, mecoprop and linuron.…”

“…The levels of pesticides, which have been recorded in this study, were in the interval between 0.31 μg l -1 to 7.05 μg l -1 . According to Nestorovska-Krsteska et al [24] pesticides, among which mostly herbicides and nematicides, are potential contaminants of natural waters because they are applied to soil and are transported to ground waters or leached directly in to the environmental waters.…”