Evaluation and comparison of selective gas chromatographic detectors for the analysis of pesticide residues

Summary A series of studies is described on the evaluation and comparison of some selective gas chromatographic detectors used in pesticide residue analysis. A detailed study of the optimization and response characteristics of the CsBr and RbCl three-electrode alkali flame ionization detector for N and P compounds, the Coulson electrolytic conductivity detector in the nitrogen, sulphur and pyrolytic modes of operation and the sulphur phosphorus emission detector, a type of flame photometric detector, was carried out to obtain maximum sensitivity and reliability for the analysis of pesticide residues in various biological substrates. It was observed that the alkali flame and electrolytic conductivity detector responses to nitrogen compounds were of the same order, while the electrolytic conductivity detector was more sensitive than the flame photometric detector to sulphur compounds. Also, attempts were made to correlate the responses from these different detector systems using the insecticide chlorpyrifos which contains P, S, Cl and N atoms. The use of chlorpyrifos as an evaluation standard in verifying the acceptable performance of these types of detectors is recommended.Chemistry and Biology Research Institute Contribution No 901