Automated Solid-Phase Extraction of Oraganochlorine Pesticides from Drinking Water
Organochlorine pesticides (OCP) are a class of chemicals that were used to control insect pests since the 1940s. The use of OCPs was banned in the later part of last century due to their longevity, a trait that made them effective for long term pest control, but also increased concerns of potential health outcomes such as cancer in humans and ecosystem disruption.
Pesticides are regulated in the U.S. by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Some states also regulate pesticides under FIFRA, in a more restrictive manner than the EPA. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, a UN treaty, has established global bans on several organochlorine pesticides including DDT, hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphene, hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH, beta-HCH, and gamma-HCH (lindane)), and chlordecone.
OCPs can be highly toxic, are hydrophobic, lipophilic, and extremely stable. Once in the air, water, and soil, they are subject to global deposition processes and bioaccumulation in the food chain. Diet is the main source of human exposure, primarily through food consumption where OCPs have bioaccumulated.
In this study twenty chlorinated pesticides were extracted from drinking water using a Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ AutoTrace™ 280 Solid-Phase Extraction instrument and the Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ SolEx™ C 18 cartridges. The recoveries were compared to the traditional liquid-liquid extraction method (LLE). Analysis for both sample preparation methods was performed by gas chromatography with Electron Capture Detection (GC-ECD)
Pesticides are regulated in the U.S. by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Some states also regulate pesticides under FIFRA, in a more restrictive manner than the EPA. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, a UN treaty, has established global bans on several organochlorine pesticides including DDT, hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphene, hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH, beta-HCH, and gamma-HCH (lindane)), and chlordecone.
OCPs can be highly toxic, are hydrophobic, lipophilic, and extremely stable. Once in the air, water, and soil, they are subject to global deposition processes and bioaccumulation in the food chain. Diet is the main source of human exposure, primarily through food consumption where OCPs have bioaccumulated.
In this study twenty chlorinated pesticides were extracted from drinking water using a Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ AutoTrace™ 280 Solid-Phase Extraction instrument and the Thermo Scientific™ Dionex™ SolEx™ C 18 cartridges. The recoveries were compared to the traditional liquid-liquid extraction method (LLE). Analysis for both sample preparation methods was performed by gas chromatography with Electron Capture Detection (GC-ECD)
