Simple and sensitive spectrophotometric determination of ziram, zineb and ferbam in commercial samples and foodstuffs using phenylfluorone

A procedure has been developed for the determination of ziram, zineb and ferbam dithiocarbamate pesticides by converting ziram and zineb into a zinc-phenylfluorone complex and ferbam into an iron-phenylfluorone complex, which are then dissolved in water in the presence of cetylpyridinium bromide and pyridine as a surfactant. The method is sensitive, highly selective and can be used for the determination of ziram, zineb and ferbam in commercial samples and in foodstuffs.