DETERMINATION OF PENDIMETHALIN HERBICIDE IN WATER AND VEGETABLE SAMPLES BY MICROWAVE-ASSISTED SOLVENT EXTRACTION AND HPLC METHOD

A method for High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for the residue determination of pendimethalin herbicide in water and food samples was developed. The chromatographic analysis was carried out, on a C18 packed capillary column with gradient elution, 20 μl injection volume and ultraviolet detector at 240 nm. Samples were spiked with amount between 5μg g-1 and 15μg g-1 of herbicide and were isolated from samples by applying microwave assisted extraction (MAE) acetone, ethanol and water as extraction solvent. Percent recoveries were improved by optimizing solvent types, solvent volume and time. Calibration curve range determined by HPLC was 0.2-40μgm L-1. The interaction of different variables for maximum % recovery response was found to be in range from 91.22±0.01-99.32±0.01. Application of this procedure to the analysis of herbicide in water and vegetable samples showed the effectiveness of the methodology proposed.