Rapid Sample Preparation Methods for the Determination of Fipronil and its Metabolites in Aqueous and Sediment Matrices

Poster-Other
Poster Presentation

Prepared by S. Estil
Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, 1965 Workman Mill Road, Whititer, CA, 90601, United States


Contact Information: sestil@lacsd.org; 562-908-4288


ABSTRACT

Fipronil is a broad spectrum phenylpyrazole insecticide widely used in urban and agricultural pest control. Due to its widespread use, fipronil and its transformation products: fipronil sulfone, fipronil sulfide, and fipronil desulfinyl have been detected in various environmental matrices. These compounds are highly toxic to aquatic life and are potentially bioaccumulative. Once released in the environment, these compounds can partition in both the water and sediment phases. It is therefore important to look at both the solid and liquid environmental compartments to better understand the fate of these compounds.

In this study, we present two rapid sample preparation protocols for the analysis of fipronil and its metabolites in aqueous and sediment matrices. The aqueous method employed sample dilution with methanol followed by large-volume direct injection and the sediment method utilized a modified QuEChERS extraction protocol. All samples were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. The methods were validated for wastewater effluents, surface water, groundwater, and marine & river sediments.