Determination of carbaryl as its primary metabolite, 1-naphthol, by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection.

Carbaryl and its hydrolysis product, 1-naphthol, are determined simultaneously, and in a mixture of other pesticides, by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Fluorometric detection affords a higher degree of selectivity than absorbance detection, while providing detection limits of 1.0 ng ml(-1) and 1.4 mg ml(-1) for 1-naphthol and carbaryl, respectively. The described method requires no enrichment of samples and includes a simple hydrolysis step. Additionally, enhancement of fluorescence detection signal intensity is explored through HPLC solvent composition effects as well as through formation of cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. The method described in this report is a selective and fast alternative to the currently accepted U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) method of detection carbaryl in ground water.