| Abstract: | Abstract Sodium fluoroacetate (Compound 1080) is readily quantitated at sub-microgram per gram concentrations in small (ca. 1 g) soil samples. Samples are ultrasonically extracted with water, which is then partitioned with hexane, and acidified prior to re-extraction with ethyl acetate. The latter is taken to dryness in the presence of triethanolamine “keeper”, and the resulting acid is derivatized with pentafluorobenzyl bromide. Quantitation is performed using a gas chromatograph equipped with an electron-capture detector. A standardized statistical protocol is used to validate a screening level of 0.2 μg Compound 1080/g soil. Difluoroacetic, trifluoroacetic, and naturally-occurring formic acids do not interfere with the determination. The recovery for Compound 1080 was 40% from soil fortified to 0.2 μg/g soil. |
