From the viewpoint of separation, a capillary column is effective for the simultaneous analysis of organophosphate insecticides. Either an FPD or FTD can be used, but with its superior selectivity, an FPD is typically used for the analysis of organophosphate pesticides. The example below shows the analysis of commercially purchased onion spiked with 0.1 to 1.0 ng (absolute quantity) of 29 organophosphate pesticide components using a gas chromatograph (GC) with an FPD.

Analysis of Onion by GC (FPD)
Peak No. Component Name Peak No. Component Name
1 Dichlorvos (DDVP) 16 Parathion
2 Salithion 17 α-CVP
3 Dimethoate 18 β-CVP
4 Cyanophos (CYAP) 19 Phenthoate
5 Diazinon 20 Propaphos
6 Disulfoton 21 Methidathion (DMTP)
7 Formothion 22 Prothiofos
8 Iprobenfos (IBP) 23 Isoxathion
9 Dichlofenthion (ECP) 24 Ethion
10 Methyl Parathion 25 Cyanofenphos (CYP)
11 Chlorpyrifos-methyl 26 Edifenphos (EDDP)
12 Fenitrothion (MEP) 27 Pyridaphenthion
13 Malathion 28 EPN
14 Fenthion 29 Phosalone
15 Chlorpyrifos    

Gas Chromatograph (GC)

Gas Chromatograph (GC)

This separation/analysis instrument is widely used for the quantitative analysis of chemical substances. It is used with a detector and column combination that suits the analysis target components. Highly sensitive measurements are possible using the flame photometric detector (FPD), which is selective for phosphorous compounds.