RAPID SCREENING FOR MANCOZEB IN EXPOSURE TRIALS BY INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-ATOMIC EMISSION SPECTROMETRIC DETERMINATION OF MANGANESE

An inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometric method was developed for rapid screening of samples for the dithiocarbamate fung icide mancozeb. The method was based on determining the level of manga nese, which forms a major part of the compound formulation, and was us ed to analyze urine, wash water, tank mixes, cellulose acetate filters , gauze patches, and clothing in field operator exposure trials. Sampl e preparation was fast and simple, requiring only acid digestion in ni tric acid or a nitric acid-hydrogen peroxide mixture, and subsequent a nalysis of the diluted digestate. Urine was acidified with nitric acid as soon as possible after collection and analyzed directly. The metho d detection limit for mancozeb was 0.020 mg/L (based on 0.004 mg Mn/L) in urine, wash waters, and tank mixes and 0.5 mu g (based on 0.1 mu g Mn) in cellulose acetate filters, gauze patches, and clothing. The wo rking range of the method was 0.020-250 mg mancozeb/L (r(2) greater th an or equal to 0.999) in urine, wash water, and tank mixes and 0.5-625 0 mu g mancozeb (r(2) greater than or equal to 0.999) in filters, patc hes, and clothing. Higher levels may be determined by appropriate dilu tion.