CEC enantioseparations on chiral monolithic columns: a study of the stereoselective degradation of (R/S)-dichlorprop [2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)propionic acid] in soil

For the study of the stereoselective degradation of the herbicide 2-aryloxipropionic acid dichlorprop (DCPP) in soil, a porous monolithic chiral column (100 microm id) was prepared by in situ copolymerization of glycidyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in the presence of formamide and 1-propanol as the porogen solvents. Subsequently, the epoxide groups at the surface of the monolith were reacted with (+)-1-(4-aminobutyl)-(5R,8S,10R)-terguride as the chiral selector. Optimum conditions for the herbicide resolution by CEC were found using mobile phases consisting of acetic acid/triethylamine mixtures in ACN-methanol (9:1 v/v). Under these conditions fully separation of DCPP enantiomers in the presence of clofibric acid (internal standard) was achieved in about 5 min. Experiments on the incubation of rac-DCPP in soil at room temperature showed the herbicide undergone during 23 incubation days to a degradation to levels