Pesticides / Herbicides / Carbamates

Testing for a wide range of agricultural chemicals, including organochlorine, organophosphorus, and carbamate compounds, to assess contamination and ensure environmental safety.

Organochlorine Pesticides

Overview

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are a class of synthetic chemicals once widely used to control agricultural and public health pests. Known for their effectiveness and long-term stability, compounds such as DDT, aldrin, and endrin became common worldwide. However, their persistence in the environment and tendency to bioaccumulate in living organisms have raised serious environmental and health concerns. As a result, many OCPs are now regulated or banned under international agreements. Despite restricted use, monitoring these compounds remains essential to ensure food safety, track environmental contamination, and assess long-term ecological impacts.

Test Methods

EPA Method 8081B

Solutions

Gas Chromatography with Electron Capture Detection (GC–ECD) and Electrolytic Conductivity Detection (GC–ELCD) are highly effective techniques for analyzing organochlorine pesticides. The ECD offers exceptional sensitivity to halogenated compounds, making it ideal for detecting OCPs at trace levels in environmental and food samples. GC–ELCD complements this capability by providing element-specific detection through conductivity changes after chemical conversion, enhancing quantitation accuracy and selectivity. Together, these methods deliver reliable, reproducible results for identifying and measuring OCP residues. By combining advanced separation with selective detection, GC–ECD and GC–ELCD enable laboratories to meet stringent analytical and regulatory requirements for organochlorine pesticide monitoring.

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Quantitation of Organic Compounds of Pesticides

Overview

Pesticides are a diverse group of chemical compounds designed to protect crops and control pests. Many contain key elements such as phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, or nitrogen that define their activity and environmental behavior. Because pesticides vary widely in structure, traditional compound-specific calibration can be time-consuming and limited when reference standards are not available. Elemental quantitation provides an alternative approach, focusing on the measurement of specific elements within the pesticide molecules rather than the compounds themselves. This enables more flexible and reliable assessment of pesticide content and residue levels across a range of samples.

Test Methods

EPA Method 8085

Solutions

Gas Chromatography with Atomic Emission Detection (GC–AED) offers a powerful solution for compound-independent elemental quantitation of pesticides. The AED detects light emitted by elements as they are excited in a plasma, allowing simultaneous measurement of multiple elements such as phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, and nitrogen. This element-specific detection eliminates the need for individual compound standards and provides accurate, reproducible quantitation based solely on elemental composition. GC–AED delivers high sensitivity, selectivity, and linear response across a wide dynamic range, making it ideal for pesticide screening, residue analysis, and regulatory compliance testing. Its ability to provide multi-element data from a single injection streamlines workflows and enhances analytical confidence in complex matrices.

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Organophosphorus Compounds

Overview

Organophosphorus compounds are a class of chemicals that contain phosphorus bonded to carbon. They are widely used in agriculture as insecticides, as well as in industrial applications such as plasticizers, flame retardants, and solvents. While these compounds are valuable in many fields, some can be toxic and persistent in the environment. Because of their potential impact on human health and ecosystems, monitoring their presence in soil, water, and food is essential. Understanding their properties and behavior helps ensure safe use, regulatory compliance, and environmental protection.

Test Methods

EPA Method 8141B

Solutions

Gas Chromatography with Nitrogen–Phosphorus Detection (GC–NPD) and Electrolytic Conductivity Detection (GC–ELCD) provides precise and dependable methods for analyzing organophosphorus compounds. The GC–NPD system offers high selectivity and sensitivity for phosphorus-containing compounds, making it ideal for detecting trace levels in environmental and food samples. GC–ELCD complements this by delivering accurate quantification through conductivity-based detection after chemical conversion. Together, these instruments allow laboratories to confidently separate, identify, and measure organophosphorus compounds with consistency and accuracy. These methods support reliable monitoring, research, and quality assurance in both environmental and industrial applications.

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Chlorinated Herbicides

Overview

Chlorinated herbicides are a group of synthetic pesticides widely used to control broadleaf weeds and grasses in agricultural and industrial settings. Due to their chemical stability and persistence, these compounds can accumulate in soil, water, and biological systems, posing potential risks to human health and the environment. Monitoring chlorinated herbicide residues in environmental samples is essential to evaluate contamination levels, assess treatment effectiveness, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

Test Methods

EPA Method 8151A

Solutions

Gas Chromatography with Electron Capture Detection (GC-ECD) provides a highly sensitive and selective technique for the determination of chlorinated herbicides. Samples are typically extracted and cleaned up to remove interferences before analysis. The gas chromatograph separates individual herbicide compounds based on volatility, while the electron capture detector—highly responsive to electronegative elements such as chlorine—delivers excellent sensitivity for trace-level detection. GC-ECD enables accurate quantification of chlorinated herbicides in complex matrices, making it an ideal method for environmental monitoring, regulatory testing, and quality control applications.

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N-Methylcarbamates

Overview

N-Methylcarbamates are a class of widely used pesticides applied in agriculture and pest control to protect crops and stored products. These compounds inhibit cholinesterase activity and can pose risks to human health and the environment if present at elevated levels. Monitoring N-methylcarbamate residues in food, water, and environmental samples is therefore critical for ensuring regulatory compliance and consumer safety.

Test Methods

EPA Method 8318A

Solutions

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection (HPLC-FLD) provides a highly sensitive and selective method for the determination of N-methylcarbamate pesticides. Before analysis, the carbamates are typically derivatized with a fluorescent reagent—such as o-phthalaldehyde (OPA)—to enhance detection sensitivity. The HPLC system separates individual carbamate compounds, and the fluorescence detector quantifies them with excellent selectivity and low detection limits. HPLC-FLD offers superior sensitivity compared to UV detection, making it an ideal technique for trace-level monitoring of N-methylcarbamate residues in complex environmental and food matrices.

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Rotenone in Municipal and Industrial Wastewaters

Overview

Rotenone is a naturally occurring pesticide commonly used for insect and fish control in agricultural and water management applications. Although effective, it is toxic to aquatic organisms and can persist in the environment if not properly managed. Monitoring rotenone levels in municipal and industrial wastewater is essential to evaluate treatment performance, prevent ecological harm, and ensure compliance with environmental discharge regulations.

Test Methods

Learn more

Solutions

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Ultraviolet Detection (HPLC-UV) provides a sensitive and reliable method for the determination of rotenone in wastewater samples. Prior to analysis, samples are typically filtered and concentrated using solid-phase extraction to remove interferences and improve detection limits. The HPLC system efficiently separates rotenone from other organic compounds, while the UV detector quantifies it based on its characteristic absorbance wavelength. HPLC-UV offers excellent precision, accuracy, and reproducibility, making it a dependable technique for routine monitoring of pesticide residues in municipal and industrial wastewater.

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Picloram in Municipal and Industrial Wastewater

Overview

Picloram is a chlorinated herbicide widely used for controlling broadleaf weeds in agricultural and non-crop areas. Due to its high water solubility and persistence, picloram can migrate into surface and groundwater, posing potential environmental and health risks. Monitoring its concentration in municipal and industrial wastewater is therefore important to assess treatment efficiency, prevent contamination, and ensure compliance with environmental discharge regulations.

Test Methods

Learn more

Solutions

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Ultraviolet Detection (HPLC-UV) provides a reliable and sensitive method for the determination of picloram in wastewater samples. In this approach, water samples are typically filtered and pre-concentrated using solid-phase extraction to remove impurities and enhance detection sensitivity. The HPLC system separates picloram from other organic components, while the UV detector quantifies it based on its characteristic absorbance. HPLC-UV offers high selectivity, precision, and reproducibility, making it an effective technique for routine monitoring of herbicide residues in municipal and industrial wastewater.

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Aldicarb, Carbofuran, Oxamyl

Overview

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are toxic chemical substances that resist environmental degradation and can accumulate in living organisms, posing long-term risks to human health and ecosystems. These compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, and dioxins, are often found in soil, water, air, and biological samples. Because POPs are stable and occur at trace levels within complex sample matrices, their accurate detection and quantification require highly sensitive and selective analytical techniques.

Test Methods

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Solutions

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) is a powerful and reliable tool for the analysis of POPs in complex matrices. Samples are typically extracted and purified through solvent extraction and cleanup procedures to remove interferences before GC-MS analysis. The gas chromatograph separates individual compounds based on volatility and polarity, while the mass spectrometer provides structural information and quantitative data with high sensitivity. This method allows precise identification and measurement of trace-level POPs, supporting environmental monitoring, regulatory compliance, and risk assessment studies.

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Established in 2003,

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