ORGANOPHOSPHORUS PESTICIDES - A GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC SCREENING TECHNIQUE BASED ON DETECTION OF METHYLATED HYDROLYSIS PRODUCTS

A screening method applicable to the detection of many orgaophosphorus pesticides and their metabolises in foodstuffs is described. The procedure involves the hydrolysis of the pesticides under alkaline conditions and gas chromatographic determination of the methylated hydrolysis products. Most pesticides hydrolysing to O,O-dimethyl phosphorothionate, O,O-diethyl phosphate and O,O-diethyl phosphorothionate can be determined at residue levels. © 1969.