Comparison of Soxhlet and Microwave-Assisted Extractions for the Determination of Fenitrothion Residues in Beans

Abstract
White and black “niebe” beans [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] from Senegal were treated with fenitrothion (O,O-dimethyl O-4-nitro-m-tolyl phosphorothioate), and the residues were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and electron capture gas chromatography (EC-GC). Fenitrothion residues from the beans were extracted by Soxhlet extraction (SE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). A column cleanup procedure was used to remove the coextractives in the extract before HPLC and EC-GC analyses. The overall mean recoveries of fenitrothion residues in the 0.19−1.90 μg/kg fortification range determined from extracts obtained by SE and MAE were 88.4 and 89.8%, respectively, with respective relative standard deviations of <4%. The results show that MAE is a viable alternative to the commonly used SE for the determination of fenitrothion residues in beans. Keywords: Fenitrothion; “niebe” beans; Soxhlet extraction; microwave-assisted extraction