A pulse polarographic investigation of parathion and some other nitro-containing pesticides

The polarographic behaviour of parathion, its major metabolites (paraoxon and p-nitrophenol), and of methylparathion, EPN and pentachloronitrobenzene has been studied over a wide pH range. Differential pulse polarography is used to differentiate between parathion, p-nitrophenol and pentachloronitrobenzene. An indirect determination of parathion in the presence of paraoxon can be based on their respective rates of hydrolysis in 0.5 M sodium hydroxide solution. The electrochemical behaviour of these compounds has also been investigated in solutions containing tetraalkylammonium salts as the supporting electrolyte.