Development and validation of a method to determine thiabendazole and o-phenylphenol in wastewater using micellar liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection

A micellar liquid chromatographic method to determine thiabendazole (TBZ) and o-phenylphenol in wastewater is described here. The sample was directly injected without any additional treatment other filtration. The pesticides were resolved in <11 min, using a mobile phase of 0.10 M SDS-6% 1-pentanol buffered at pH 3 running through a C18 column at 1 mL/min. The detection was performed by fluorescence at 305/360 and 245/345 nm excitation/emission wavelengths for TBZ and o-phenylphenol, respectively. The method was validated following the directives of the Validation and Peer Review of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chemical Methods of Analysis guidelines in terms of selectivity, quantitation range (0.01-0.02 to 2 mg/L), detection limit (0.005-0.008 mg/L), trueness (92.1-104.2%), precision (<13.9%), robustness (<6.6%), and stability under storage conditions. The procedure was applied to the screening of TBZ and o-phenylphenol in wastewater samples from citrus packing plants, agricultural gutters, urban sewage, as well as in influent and effluent wastewater treatment plants.