Abstract

A solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) method for the simultaneous determination of the organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), phorate, diazinon, methyl-parathion, fenitrothion, malathion, fenthion, ethyl-parathion and methidathion, has been developed to study their soil/water distribution. The method was used in conjunction with a conventional ‘batch equilibrium method’ to assess the soil adsorption coefficients (K_oc) of the target compounds in different soil samples with known organic carbon content. Contrary to traditional techniques, the present method is fast, solvent-free and highly sensitive, thus permitting the assessment of the K_oc values of the target compounds even at low soil concentration levels, close to those encountered in real field contamination, where the Freundlich adsorption isotherms can be considered to be linear. The estimated K_oc values were found to be in good agreement with those reported in the literature.