Rapid analysis of pyrethroids in whole urine by high-performance liquid chromatography using a monolithic column and off-line preconcentration in a restricted access material cartridge.

A rapid high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method using a monolithic column with UV detection at 238 nm was developed for the determination of fenpropathrin, betacyfluthrin, deltamethrin, and permethrin (cis and trans isomers) in whole urine. The method is based on the use of a monolithic chromatographic column and a restricted access material (RAM) cartridge for sample preparation. The mobile phase was water/acetonitrile (42:58 v/v), the flow rate was 3 mL min(-1), and chromatographic separation was carried out in 10 min. The separation of cis and trans isomers of permethrin was also possible under the above-mentioned conditions. Detection limits in reconstituted whole urine samples were between 0.9 microg L(-1) for betacyfluthrin and 4.4 microg L(-1) for fenpropathrin and trans-permethrin. Recoveries for urine samples spiked with different amounts of pyrethroids (between 19 microg L(-1) and 75 microg L(-1)) were in the 70+/-6 to 90+/-7% range.