Square wave voltammetry at a hanging-drop mercury electrode was used as the analytical technique to determine Fenitrothion content in three different commercial formulations. Initially, Fenitrothion determinations were performed in BR buffer (pH 10.5) prepared with pure water. In such solutions, determination and quantification limits of 5.20x10-3 µmol L-1 (1.44 ppb) and 18.80x10-3 µmol L-1 (4.8 ppb), respectively, were obtained. In the next step, samples of Periphos CE, Sumithion UBV and Sumithion 500 CE were appropriately diluted and the contents evaluated by the standard addition method. Recovery factors, based on the nominal composition given by the manufacturer, were 108.9, 106.5 and 97.6% respectively. A good agreement between the voltammetric and the UV-Vis results was observed. The main advantage of such electroanalytical methodology is related to the low sensibility to other formulation components. As a consequence, this technique is faster and less expensive than traditional ones, such as high performance liquid chromatography or colorimetric determinations, which require extraction, clean-up and pre-concentration steps.
Fenitrothion; square wave voltammetry; electroanalysis; commercial formulation; pesticides
