Spectrophotometric determination of some dithiocarbamates

A procedure has been developed for the determination of six dithiocarbamates [sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate (dibam), sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (NaDDC), tetramethylthiuram disulphide (thiram), zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate (ziram), sodium N-methylpiperazinecarbodithioate and potassium morpholine-4-carbodithioate] in microgram quantities by converting them into selenium dithiocarbamate complexes, which are then extracted into chloroform and measured at 430 nm against a reagent blank. The method is sensitive and can be used for the determination of dithiocarbamates in commercial samples and synthetic mixtures.