Screening, optimization and validation of microwave-assisted extraction for the determination of persistent organochlorine pesticides

In the present study, a microwave-assisted extraction method has been investigated for the extraction of persistent organochlorine pesticides from sediment in comparison to the classical Soxhlet extraction. The extraction procedure has been screened by a complete factorial design for statistically significant parameters. Thereafter, the identified parameters, composition of extraction solvent (mixtures of n-hexane-acetone), extraction temperature and time were optimized by a Box-Behnken design. Finally, the optimized microwave-assisted procedure has been validated by extraction of two different matrix reference materials, a sediment and a mallow powder. The data obtained for both materials were in good agreement with those obtained by Soxhlet extraction and published values. Special emphasis has been given to an accurate determination of p,p′-DDT, since DDT is known as instable during GC-injection. In order to evaluate the DDT-degradation, 13C12-p,p′-DDT-solutions were analyzed and the degradation rates during GC-injection were calculated. Furthermore, 13C12-p,p′-DDT was added to the sediment samples prior to extraction and the degradation rates during the optimization experiment have been investigated.