A study of the disappearance of pesticides during composting using a gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry technique.
A simple method for multi-residue analysis of pesticides by low-pressure gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LP-GC-MS-MS) has been validated in compost samples. The pesticide residues were extracted from the lyophilised samples with organic solvent by stirring. No sample clean-up was required prior to the analysis. The method was applied to determine the fate of two organochlorine pesticides (lindane and endosulfan) and two organophosphates (malathion and chlorpyrifos-methyl) during the composting process in the reactor of a pilot plant. Malathion, chlorpyrifos-methyl and lindane residues almost fully disappeared after 8 days of maturation in the reactor, while endosulfan residues were only partially degraded. Alongside this, a study of natural disappearance of the pesticides was carried out in the laboratory and a characteristic time profile was traced for each pesticide class.
Garrido Frenich
A
A
Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain.
González Rodríguez
Manuel J
MJ
Martínez Vidal
José L
JL
Arrebola
Francisco J
FJ
Hernández Torres
María E
ME
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006813:Humidity; D010575:Pesticides / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors
D010575:Pesticides; D012987:Soil