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Rapid and Robust Analytical Method for the Determination of Copper Content in Commercial Pesticides and Antifouling Biocides

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Abstract

The quality control of the agrochemicals and biocidal products in the market requires valid determination methods for the active ingredient content and is of utmost interest to ensure environmental protection, human health, and successful pest control. Copper has been used as fungicide for centuries, and today is still in the market in hundreds of products for various uses and is applied in very high application rates, both in pesticides and biocides. The aim of the present study was to develop a new fast, efficient, and inexpensive analytical method for the determination of copper content in antifouling Product Type 21 (PT-21) biocides as well as in copper containing pesticides. The samples were oxidized by microwave-assisted acid digestion method and copper content was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry technique. The recoveries of the method ranged from 87.9% to 97.6% for antifouling paints, and 98.6% to 99.95% for pesticides, while the percentage Relative Standard Deviation (%RSD) was lower than 6% in all cases. The validated method Limit of Quantification (LOQ) was 5 μg mL−1 that was sufficient for the present analysis needs. As a result, it is concluded that the method is easily applicable and transferable, with reasonable consumption of reagents, characterized by high reliability and sensitivity; therefore, it is suitable for monitoring the levels of copper in antifouling products as well as pesticides containing copper as active substance.

Highlights

  • A new rapid and robust analytical method for fungicidal copper analysis is introduced

  • The method is applicable for all types of copper containing biocides and pesticides

  • The method presents excellent QA/QC and can be easily adopted in every laboratory

  • It can efficiently supersede the commonly used titration technique proposed by CIPAC

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Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for the Assessment of Natural Hazards and Proactive Planning & Laboratory of Reclamation Works and Water Resources Management, School of Rural, Surveying and Geoinformatics Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou St., Zographou, Athens, 15780, Greece

    George Pavlidis

  2. Laboratory of Chemical Control of Pesticides, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, 8 Stef. Delta St., 14561, Kifissia, Athens, Greece

    Helen Karasali & George P. Balayiannis

Authors
  1. George Pavlidis
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  2. Helen Karasali
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  3. George P. Balayiannis
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by George Pavlidis, Helen Karasali and George P. Balayiannis. The first draft of the manuscript was written by George Pavlidis and Helen Karasali and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to George Pavlidis or Helen Karasali.

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Pavlidis, G., Karasali, H. & Balayiannis, G.P. Rapid and Robust Analytical Method for the Determination of Copper Content in Commercial Pesticides and Antifouling Biocides. Environ. Process. 10, 19 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40710-023-00634-x

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