title: Determination of anthraquinone in technical material, formulations, and lettuce by high performance liquid chromatography.
abstract: Foraging on lettuce seeds and seedlings by horned larks (Eremophila alpestris) causes millions of dollars in losses to the California lettuce crop annually. Anthraquinone (AQ; 9,10-anthracenedione) has been shown to deter pest birds from consuming the seeds and seedlings of several plant species and was evaluated as a repellent to horned larks when applied to lettuce seedlings. A set of analytical methods using simple liquid extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis were developed for the quantitation of AQ as technical material, as an active ingredient in a commercial formulation, and as a residue in lettuce plants. The methods were easy, reliable, and repeatable. AQ recoveries from control formulation fortified to concentrations of either 24 or 600 mg g(-)(1) were 99 (+/-1.2%) and 98% (+/-1.2%), respectively, with a control formulation method limit of detection (MLOD) of 0.50 mg g(-)(1). Control lettuce tissues from three growth stages were AQ-fortified to concentrations of 0.50 and 500 microg g(-)(1). The resulting AQ recoveries for the two fortification levels were 99 (+/-8.5) and 89% (+/-1.5%) for 11 day old seedlings, 95 (+/-2.6%) and 86% (2.1%) for 16 day old plants, and 92 (+/-1.4%) and 93% (+/-1.1%) for adult head lettuce cover leaves, respectively. The MLODs for the same three lettuce tissues were 0.055, 0.058, and 0.077 microg g(-)(1), respectively. These methods were used to quantify AQ residues from field-grown, treated lettuce and associated fortified quality control samples.
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, 4101 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521-2154, USA. richard.e.mauldin@aphis.usda.gov
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Mauldin
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Primus
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Volz
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Kimball
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: Darryl L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: York
mesh_terms: D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D018545:Lactuca / Q000737:chemistry*; D016014:Linear Models; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012996:Solutions
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012996:Solutions; C042834:9,10-anthraquinone