Confirmation and identification of the impurities in metolachlor using gas chromatography interfaced with orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-oaTOFMS)

The confirmation and identification of the impurities in metolachlor (a herbicde) by using gas chromatography-orthogonal acceleration time of flight mass spectrometry (GC-oaTOFMS) and gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-qMS) are described. For the accurate mass measurement can be carried by GC-oaTOFMS, the elemental compositions of molecular and fragment ions in the spectra are suggested. In the experiment the average of mass deviations between the measured and theoretical values was below 2.5 mDa. Finally ten impurities were confirmed and identified. They accounted for 94% of the total impurities by weight.