Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Fluometuron and Metabolites in Soil

Abstract

Abstract A rapid, sensitive method Is described for the determination of fluometuron and Its soil metabolites In 4 soil types. The method consists of extraction of moist soil samples with methanol, filtration, liquid chromatographic separation of methanol-soluble components using a C18 column, and fluorescence detection with excitation at 292 nm and emission measured at 345 nm. Fluometuron recoveries from fortified soils were >90% from the Dundee, Okalona, Cecil, and Ships soils. Recoveries from a Dundee silt loam for desmethyl fluometuron, 3-(trlfluoromethyl)phenyl urea, and 3- (trifluoromethyl)anillne were 77, 77, and 35%, respectively. Average percent relative standard deviations of Dundee soil extracts were 5.3% for fluometuron and <8.0% for each metabolite. The limit of detection for fluometuron and each of its soil metabolites was 25 ng/g soil.