Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of azinphos ethyl in human plasma and in mouse plasma, tissue, and fat

A new method for the determination of azinphos ethyl (O,O-diethyl-S-(4-oxo-1,2,3-benzotriazin-3(4H)-ylmethyl) phosphorodithioate) in human plasma and in mouse plasma, tissue, and fat has been developed. The method is based on extraction with benzene or hexane and cleanup of fat and tissue samples by a minicolumn containing Florisil and sodium sulfate. Azinphos ethyl is eluted from the column with 10% acetonitrile in benzene and is concentrated to an appropriate volume for gas-liquid chromatographic analysis, using a 63Ni electron capture detector and a glass column containing 3% OV-1 on Gas-Chrom Q. The method is sensitive to 0.005 ppm in human plasma, 0.01 ppm in mouse plasma, 0.08 ppm in mouse liver, 0.05 ppm in mouse brain, and 0.10 ppm in mouse fat. The limit of detection is 2 pg; mean recoveries ranged from 96 to 98%.