Determination of organochlorine pesticides in skins and leather by gas chromatography

The simultaneous determination of residues of lindane (gamma-HCH) and 10 other organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in skins and leather was carried out by gas chromatography (GC) with electron-capture detection (ECD), GC with mass spectrometric detection was used to identity confirmation. Samples were extracted with hexane. The extracts were concentrated, and cleaned up on a Florisil column. Dibromooctafluorobiphenyl was added as internal standard. Hide fortifications of 0.5 and 5.0 ppm yielded average lindane recoveries of 98% and 96%, respectively. OCPs were determined in 57 samples of shins purchased from American, European and African countries in 1996-1997. OCPs were not detected in any of the American and European samples. Residues of lindane were found in 56% of African samples. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.