Development of methods for the analysis of crops and soils for residues of benzoylprop‐ethyl and its breakdown products

Methods are described for the analysis of residues of the herbicide benzoylpropethyl, ethyl (±)-2-[ N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)benzamido]propionate, and its breakdown product, (±)-2-[ N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)benzamido]propionic acid, in wheat and soil. In wheat the acid degradation product conjugates with plant sugars and the present paper includes methods for determination of these residues either separately or as a combined residue with unconjugated acid. Efficient extraction procedures have been developed together with partition and column chromatographic techniques for purification of extracts. The full analytical procedures are described and the final determinations are by g.1.c. with electron capture detection with blank values for field samples in the range 0.01–0.05 mg/kg. Good recoveries were obtained. Radiochemical techniques have been used to verify the extraction and subsequent procedures in the methods.