Abstract
Carbaryl (CA) is the common chemical name for an insecticidal molecule which was first introduced in 1956 under the registered trade name 'Sevin' by Union Carbide. CA, one of the carbamate pesticides, has been extensively used for pest control because of its low persistence and high effectiveness. It is used for the control of pests in fruit, vegetables, forage, cotton and other crops and domestic animals. Its wide use is due to its volatility, low solubility in water, relatively short half-life, and relatively low toxicity. However, its acute toxicity is of great concern and makes necessary the determination of CA residues at low concentrations. Spectrofluorimetric methods were developed for the determination of CA. A simple, rapid and highly sensitive fluorimetric method for the determination of CA was described. The method was based on the formation of the micelle. Under the optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity responds linearly to CA concentration in the range 0.1-20.1 jig/mL, with a detection limit of 2.3 x 10-3 mug/mL. The method was successfully applied to the determination of CA in real samples.