CGC AED AND CGC/ECD/NPD COMPARISON FOR THE DETERMINATION OF ACARICIDES IN HONEY AFTER HEXANE ACETONE EXTRACTION/

The performance of a gas chromatographic system coupled to an atomic e mission detector (GC/AED) is tested by comparison with a two-dimension al gas chromatographic system equipped with capillary columns of diffe rent polarity and simultaneous electron capture and nitrogen-phosphoru s detection (ECD/NPD), for the determination of the acaricides chlordi meform, bromopropylate, amitraz and coumaphos on spiked honey samples. The acaricides were extracted with an n-hexane/acetone mixture (80:20 , v/v) with a further clean-up step on an octadecylsilane cartridge. T he 193 nm carbon emission line is the best choice in terms of sensitiv ity whereas the ECD/NPD system gives better selectivity.