EFFICIENT ONE-STEP METHOD FOR THE EXTRACTION OF CYCLODIENE PESTICIDES FROM AQUEOUS-MEDIA AND THE ANALYSIS OF THEIR METABOLITES

An efficient method for the extraction of cyclodiene organochlorines from small samples of aqueous microbial growth media is described. Metabolites of endosulfan and aldrin, some of which are current environmental pollutants, can be detected on the electron capture detector (ECD) gas chromatograph with separation on a packed column. This has been done with their underivatized forms with prior column conditioning, with the exception of dihydrochlordenedicarboxylic acid (DHCDA). Separation of endosulfan and all of its metabolites has been achieved on a single packed column, and a comparison has been made of the relative sensitivity of the ECD to these compounds, aldrin, and its major metabolites. The limits of detection and the extent of linearity of the response of the ECD toward these compounds are reported. The importance of adequate column conditioning and likely problems encountered with the analysis of these cyclodiene compounds are described.