Analusis 27, 857-863 (1999)
DOI: 10.1051/analusis:1999154

Usefulness of micellar media for the quantitative analysis of phenylurea herbicides in water by photochemically-induced fluorescence

A. Bautista¹, J. -J. Aaron², M. C. Mahedero¹ and A. Muñoz de la Peña<sup>1

1</sup>  Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
²  Institut de Topologie et de Dynamique des Systémes de l'Université Paris 7 Denis Diderot, CNRS, UPRES-A 7086, 1, rue Guy de la Brosse, 75005 Paris, France

(Received June 18, 1999; revised September 9, 1999; accepted September 28, 1999.)

Abstract
UV irradiation of four non-fluorescent phenylurea herbicides including linuron, diuron, isoproturon and neburon is shown to yield fluorescent photoproducts. The photochemically-induced fluorescence (PIF) properties of these herbicides in several media (water, 2-propanol and their mixtures) and aqueous micellar solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) are reported. The use of micellar media enhances significantly the PIF signal relative to an aqueous solution. A PIF method is developed for the determination of the four herbicides under study, with linear dynamic ranges over about one order of magnitude, and limits of detection (LOD) between 410 and 640 ng mL^-1, according to the compound. Applications to the analysis of tap water and river water samples yield satisfactory recoveries (86-115 %).

Key words: Phenylurea herbicides / micellar media / photochemically-induced fluorescence / water analysis.


© EDP Sciences, Wiley-VCH 1999