Liquid chromatographic determination of acifluorfen in soil and water

An analytical method based on the use of a liquid chromatograph equipped with a UV detector was developed for the determination of acifluorfen in soil and water. Acifluorfen was extracted from soil in methanol-0.10N NaOH (80 + 20 v/v) and from water by partition with dichloromethane. Solvent partitioning and solid-phase extraction were used to separate acifluorfen from major interfering sample components. Average recoveries from soil at 1, 0.1, and 0.01 ppm fortification levels were 95.1 +/- 3.4, 92.6 +/- 2.9, and 73.9 +/- 3.0%, respectively. Recoveries from water spiked at levels from 0.01 to 1 ppm averaged 96.5 +/- 5.4%. Method limits of detection were 0.006 ppm in soil and 0.003 ppm in water.