Marshall_1974_Pest.Sci_5_781

Gas and liquid chromatographic methods were evaluated for determining the impurities in technical grade fenitrothion (95%). These impurities were S-methyl fenitrothion. fenitrooxon, bis-fenitrothion, S-methyl-bis-fenitrothion and 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol. The GC proved to be insensitive to the two bis compounds whereas these compounds could be analysed by liquid chromatography on a Corasil 11 column or on an OPN column. Nine technical samples were analysed and S-methyl fenitrothion, a potent anticholinesterase agent, was by far the most common impurity.