HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF SULFONYLUREAS IN SOIL AND WATER

Isocratic and gradient conditions for the separation of four sulfonylurea herbicides, namely chlorsulfuron, metsulfuron, chlorimuron and thifensulfuron, by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on C-6 and C-18 columns were established. Liquid-liquid (LL) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedures for the extraction and concentration of the herbicides from water and soil samples were tested. LL and SPE recoveries, HPLC detection limits and repeatability and dependence of the capacity factor on mobile phase composition are discussed. Typical chromatograms are shown.