Analysis of Paraquat Dichloride in Pesticides

using UV- Spectrophotometer.

• GROUP 7.
What do we do in Pesticide formulation lab?
 Pesticide Formulation.

• Pesticide formulation lab checks for active ingredients in agrochemicals,

aerosols, mosquito nets and fertilizers. It deals with screening and analysis of
agrochemicals.
What is the meaning of the term “Pesticide”?
 Pesticides.

• Pesticides are substances used to kill, repel or control certain forms of plant
or animal life that are considered to be pests.
 Examples of Pesticides.

• Herbicides.
• Fungicides.
• Insecticides.
• Rodenticides.
 Classes of Pesticides.

• Organochloro Pesticides (OCPs).

• Organophosphate Pesticides (OPPs).
• Carbamates.
• Pyrethroid.
Paraquat Dichloride.
 Analysis of Paraquat Dichloride.

• There are 3 stages in the Analysis of Paraquat Dichloride:

• Preparation of Standard Curve (Working Standards).
• Preparation of Test Solution (Sample Solution).
• Determination of Concentration of Paraquat Dichloride.
 Analysis of Paraquat Dichloride.

APPARATUS
Spectrophotometer - With 1 cm glass cells (Cuvette).
 
REAGENTS
Sodium Dithionite Solution - One percent (m/m) in freshly prepared with 0.1 N sodium hydroxide
solution.
 
NOTE - Do not keep the sodium dithionite solution for more than 7 hour. Sodium dithionite is
unstable in presence of moisture. Store in 25 ml bottles with air-tight closures and keep these in o
vacuum desiccator containing on efficient desiccant.
 Analysis of Paraquat Dichloride.

Paraquat Standard Solution.

Weigh 0.1728 g of pure paraquat dichloride. Dissolve in water and dilute to 500 ml with water to
make up the volume to 500 ml in a volumetric flask.

Preparation of Standard Curve.

Pipet 50 ml standard solution into 250ml volumetric flask, dilute to volume with water and mix.
Pipet 5, 10, 15 and 20 ml aliquots of this diluted standard solution into separate 100 ml volumetric flasks.
When diluted to volume, these solutions contain 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0ug Paraquat/ml respectively.
 Analysis of Paraquat Dichloride.

Preparation of Test Solution

 
Weigh accurately portion of well-mixed sample containing about 0.25 g (1 ml) of Paraquat
dichloride, transfer to a 500ml volumetric flask, dilute to the mark with water and mix. Designate
this as solution A.
 
Pipette 10 ml of Solution A into a 250 ml volumetric flask, dilute to the mark with water and mix. Designate
this as Solution B.
 
Pipet 10 ml of solution B into 100 ml volumetric flask.
 Analysis of Paraquat Dichloride.

Determination.

Add 10 ml of sodium dithionite solution to a 100ml flask and dilute to volume with distilled water.
Mix by inverting end-over-end three times. Do not shake flask vigorously as this tends to cause
fading of colour due to oxidation. Immediately measure the Absorbance of solution at 600nm record this
a s blank.
Similarly treat each flask in turn completing colour measurement without delay before adding dithionite
into the next solution.
Draw the graph relating absorbance and concentration of standard solutions. Extrapolate for test solutions.