One full-time employee analyzes an average of 900 samples each year in the Pesticide Formulations Section. Samples are received from inspectors for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. The formulations team analyzes pesticide samples for active ingredient content. While a repository of over 500 pesticides is maintained for analysis, pesticides routinely analyzed include the structural termiticides (ex. Chlorpyrifos, Permethrin, Cypermethrin, Bifenthrin), insecticides (ex. Diazinon, Methyl Parathion), herbicides (ex. 2,4D, Round-Up) and rodenticides (ex. Warfarin, Rotelone). Other compounds such as bleaches, pine oils and quaternary ammonium cleaners are also analyzed for active ingredient.
Methods of analysis include gas and liquid chromatography, as well as wet chemistry techniques. Please see the Instrumentation page for brief descriptions/slides of instrumentation used. Wet chemistry equipment includes the Orion-Turbo2 Blending Karl Fisher for moisture analysis and the Metrohm Brinkman Titralyzer
The Pesticide Formulations Section maintains the standard repository for both residue and formulations analysis. This repository contains over 500 pesticide standards. Standards are kept in an explosion-proof freezer and a flammable-liquid refrigerator in a dedicated room with a ventilation system isolated from the rest of the building. The desiccator where standards are allowed to reach room temperature also is located in the repository room. Standards are weighed on a Sartorius RC210 five-place analytical balance. The repository is catalogued and maintained by the formulations staff using a searchable database in Quattro Pro.
Instrumentation for Pesticide Formulations
Laboratory instrumentation includes:
GC System I-- run with 3365 ChemStation software
5890 Plus Series Hewlett Packard GC w/ autosampler
with two
5890 Plus Series Hewlett Packard GC w/ autosamplers
one TCD(Thermal Conductivity),
one FID (Flame Ionization)
GC System II -- run with latest HP ChemStation software
6890 Series Hewlett Packard GC w/ autosamplers
with one ECD (Electron Capture)
with one NPD(Nitrogen Phosphorus
6890 Series Hewlett Packard GC w/autosampler
with two FID (Flame Ionization)
A High Pressure Liquid Chromatography system that consists of modular units including Waters 600 gradient pump, the Waters WISP 700 autosampler and the Waters 486 variable wavelength UV detector. It is operated by Waters Millennium software.