CLEAN ANALYTICAL METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF PROPOXUR

A method has been developed for the determination of propoxur, a carba mate pesticide, by means of its reaction with p-aminophenol (PAP). The method involves the reaction, in the presence of KIO4, between the qu inoneimine form of PAP and the deprotonated form of 2-isopropoxyphenol , obtained by the alkaline hydrolysis of propoxur, to provide an indop henol dye which absorbs at 600 nm. The analysis is carried out in a no w system and, after the measurement step, the waste, the reaction prod uct and the unreacted derivatising agent is detoxified in a UV-irradia ted coil placed after the measurement now-cell and after mixing the wa ste with a TiO2(anatase) catalyst slurry, which can be reutilized seve ral times. The developed methodology is very simple and provides a sat isfactory way to avoid toxic waste products by the application of anal ytical methods.