A sensitive, extractive fluorimetric method for the determination of dimeth
oate has been described. Dimethoate is hydrolyzed with sodium ethoxide into
sodium dimethyl dithiophosphate, which is extracted with Rhodamine 6G, as
ion pair into toluene. The fluorescence of the organic layer is measured at
560 nm after excitation at 536 nm. The method has been applied to the dete
rmination of dimethoate residues in water samples up to ppb level with prec
oncentration on Amberlite XADB2.