Photo-induced fluorescence of fluometuron in a continuous-flow multicommutation assembly

This paper deals with the photo-induced fluorimetric determination of the herbicide Fluometuron with the aid of a continuous-flow assembly of the emergent and new methodology known as Multicommutation which was provided with an on-line photoreactor. Maximum fluorescence intensity was observed at basic pH solutions, 1x 10(-4) mol l(-1) NaOH, after 1.4 min of irradiation and being the maximum at lambda(exc) 247.0 nm and lambda(em) 325.0 nm. The influence of different experimental parameters either chemical (pH, surfactants presence, solvent polarity and temperature) or hydrodynamic (time of photo-degradation, size and number of different segments and flow-rate) was tested. The linear dynamic range was from 0.01 to 4.0 mg l(-1) of Fluometuron; the inter-day reproducibility (as R.S.D.) of the slope was 0.001% and 1.7% from the peaks intra-day reproducibility. A large series of potential interferents was studied and finally the method was applied to human urine, soil, formulation and water samples.