Stereoselective analysis of acid herbicides in natural waters by capillaryelectrophoresis

A capillary electrophoretic method for the stereoselective analysis of aryl oxypropionic and aryloxyphenoxypropionic acidic herbicides in ground water and river water was performed. Vancomycin and I-cyclodextrin were added to the background electrolyte (BGE) as chiral selectors. Water sample preconce ntration was accomplished by solid-phase extraction on styrene-divinylbenze ne packed cartridges (2 L of ground water and 1 L of river water). The anal ytical method allowed for the resolution of mecoprop, fenoprop, fluazifop a nd haloxyfop racemic mixtures in natural water samples spiked with enantiom er concentration levels in the range 0.1-0.13 ppb for ground water and 0.4- 0.54 ppb for river water.