Pesticide analysis by gas chromatography with a novel atomic emission detector

An atomic emission detector, consisting of a microwave-induced helium plasma and atomic emission spectrometer, has been used for the gas chromatographic analysis of pesticides. In principle, it is possible to detect any element in the periodic table (except helium) which can elute from a gas chromatograph. Detection limits for C, H, D, N, O, Br, Cl, F, S, Si, P, Sn and Hg were found to range from 0.1 to 75 pg/s with selectivities over carbon of 5000 or more. The gas chromatography-atomic emission detection system has been used for the detection and elemental characterization of 27 different pesticides by obtaining element-specific chromatograms for C, H, N, O, Br, Cl, F, P and S. By performing quantitative analysis for each element, it was possible to calculate the approximate empirical formulas for 20 different herbicides in two different mixtures. An extract from an apple doped with three pesticides was analyzed by gas chromatography-atomic emission detection.