Liquid chromatographic method for analysis of elemental sulfur in pesticide formulations

A nonaqueous reverse-phase liquid chromatographic (LC) method has been developed to determine elemental sulfur in pesticide formulations. Samples were extracted in 50 mL of stabilized tetrahydrofuran (THF) by gentle swirling while sonicating for 1 min. A 5 microL aliquot was injected into the LC instrument equipped with a Vydac 218 TP 54 column. The mobile phase was methanol-acetonitrile-stabilized tetrahydrofuran (58.5 + 40 + 1.5). Sulfur was monitored at 280 nm. Retention time was approximately 5 min with total analysis time of 7 min. For 6 different products analyzed 12 times each, the coefficients of variations were all less than 3.5%. Purity of each sulfur peak was checked by using a photodiode array detector in the spectrum and absorbance ratio modes. No impurities were observed at the monitoring wavelength.