Determination of three phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicides in blood using gas chromatography coupled with solid-phase extraction and derivatization

Abstract

A method for the determination of three phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicides, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)-propanoic acid (2,4-DP), and 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy-acetic acid (MCPA), in blood was developed. The blood sample was diluted with 0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid, and extracted by solid-phase extraction using porous resin GDX401 as adsorbent and ethyl ether as eluent. The extract was esterified with dichloropropanol in the presence of sulfuric acid as catalyst. The derivatives were analysed by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. The detection limits of 2,4-D, 2,4-DP and MCPA were 20, 8 and 40 ng/mL, respectively. In quantitative analysis, 2,4-dichlorophenylacetic acid was used as an internal standard. The linear relationships and recoveries were satisfactory. The derivatization of the three herbicides with methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, and trifluoroethanol were also studied, and the analytical methods of these derivatization were compared with that of dichloropropanol as esterifying agent. The method is sensitive enough for the examination of the poison samples in actual.