Multiresidue analysis of fungicides in soil by sonication-assisted extraction in small columns and gas chromatography

A rapid multiresidue method for the simultaneous determination of 14 fungicides in soil was developed. Fungicides were extracted from soil, placed in small columns, by sonication-assisted extraction with ethyl acetate. The effect of residue residence time and soil moisture content on the fungicide recovery was studied. Residue levels in soil were determined by gas chromatography with electron-capture and nitrogen–phosphorus detection. Residue identities were confirmed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, in the selected ion monitoring mode. Recovery studies were carried out at 0.5, 0.1 and 0.05 μg/g fortification levels for each fungicide, and average recoveries obtained for these compounds ranged from 80 to 104% with relative standard deviations between 1 and 8%. The method is linear over the range assayed, 0.5–0.05 μg/g, and the detection limit for the fungicides studied varied from 2 to 10 μg/kg.