Gas Chromatography Residue Analysis of Bifenthrin in Pears Treated with 2% Wettable Powder

Abstract

This study was conducted to monitor the level of bifenthrin residues in pear sprayed with 2% bifenthrin wettable powder (WP) at the recommended rate at four different schedules prior to harvest. The target analyte was extracted with acetone, partitioned into dichloromethane, and then purified by florisil chromatographic column. The residue determination was performed on a DB-5 capillary column using GC with electron capture detector (ECD). Linearity of this method was quite good (r ² = 0.9951) in the concentration ranged from 0.2 mg/kg to 10 mg/kg. Recovery test was carried out at two concentration levels, 0.2 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg, in three replicates, and their rates were from 82.9% to 107.2%. No quantitative bifenthrin was detected in pear of all kinds of treatments including the treatment sprayed 4 times until 7 days before harvest. This sensitive and selective method can be used to monitor the trace residual amounts of bifenthrin in pear in a quite low concentration level.