OBJECTIVETo establish a method for determining brodifacoum in workplace air by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

METHODSBrodifacoum in workplace air was collected with a polytetrafluoroethylene filter and desorbed by mixed solution of methanol and dichloromethane (20:80, V:V), and was then separated using an ODS column and determined by an ultraviolet detector; retention time was used for identification, and peak area was used for quantification.

RESULTSThe concentration of brodifacoum showed a linear relationship with peak area within 0.2∼10.0 µg/ml; the elution efficiency was 91.6%∼95.1%; the detection limit was 0.08 µg/ml (injection volume: 20 µl eluate); the minimum detectable concentration was 0.000 67 mg/m(3) (calculated by 240 L air sample).

CONCLUSIONThis HPLC method is convenient and simple for air collection and sample preparation and meets the methodological requirements. Therefore, this method can be used for the determination of brodifacoum in workplace air.