Direct gas chromatographic determination of the two isomeric insecticides, aldicarb and butocarboxime and their toxic metabolites: application to residue analysis in crops and leaves.

A gas-chromatographic method is described for determination of residues of butocarboxime (Drawin), its structural isomer aldicarb (Temik), and their toxic sulfoxide and sulfone metabolites. These compounds were determined intact, by gas chromatography employing a thermionic specific detector (TSD). Breakdown of these relatively thermally unstable compounds was avoided by lowering the inlet temperature to 150 degrees C, by keeping column temperature as low as possible, and by using a low-load liquid phase (2% of OV-17 on Gas-Chrom Q). These compounds were determined in enriched extracts of samples of tomatoes and apples and also in the leaves of citrus and cotton. The method is suitable for the separation, differentiation and determination of the two isomers and their metabolites at an enrichment level of 0.1 micrograms/g of fresh weight. The results were confirmed by gas chromatography--chemical-ionization mass-spectrometry.