High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of naphthaleneacetic acid residues in apples

An ion-suppression reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatographic method is described for determining naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) residues in apples. Samples are extracted with acidic chloroform, filtered through pre-acidified Hy-Flo Supercel, and cleaned up by acid-base partitioning. The extract can be successfully chromatographed on either a muLiChrosorb NH2 or muBondapak C18 column and quantitated by using a variable wavelength ultraviolet detector set at 220 nm. The mobile phase is acetonitrile-water (20 + 80) buffered to pH 3.5 (MULiChrosorb column) or pH 5.2 (MUBondapak column) and flowing at 1.0--2.0 ml/min. Recoveries ranged from 86 to 98%. The minimum detectable amount was 0.5 ng, which easily permitted the quantitation of 0.01 ppm NAA in 50 g sample. A fluorometric detector was 4 times as sensitive, using an excitation wavelength of 220 mm and monitoring the emission at 340 nm. For this detector, the minimum detectable amount was 0.12 ng NAA.