LC/MS analysis of cyclohexanedione oxime herbicides in water.

A multiresidue method for the determination of alloxydim (methyl 2, 2-dimethyl-4, 6-dioxo-5-[1-[2-propenyloxy)amino]butylidene]cyclohexanec arb oxylate), clethodim (E, E)-(+/-)-2-[1-[[3-chloro-2-propenyl)oxy]imino]propyl]-5-[2-(ethylthio )propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one), sethoxydim ((+/-)-2-[1-(ethoxyimino)butyl]-5-[2-ethylthio)propyl]-3-hydroxy-2 -cy clohexen-1-one), and two metabolites, clethodim sulfoxide ((E, E)-(+/-)-2-[1-[[3-chloro-2-propenyl)oxy]imino]propyl]-5-[2-(ethylsulf inyl)propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one) and sethoxydim sulfoxide ((+/-)-2-[1-(ethoxyimino)butyl]-5-[2-ethylsulfinyl)propyl]-3 -hydroxy- 2-cyclohexen-1-one), in water by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray/mass spectrometry (LC/ES/MS) is reported. River water and distilled water were spiked at 0.08 and 0.8 microgram L(-1) with all three herbicides, which were then extracted from the water by C(18)-SPE (SPE = solid-phase extraction). The herbicides and metabolites were quantified and confirmed using selected ion monitoring. The percent recoveries of the herbicides from water spiked at 0.8 microgram L(-1) were as follows: alloxydim, 117 +/- 11%; clethodim, 96 +/- 14%; sethoxydim, 89 +/- 13%. There was no evidence of oxidation of clethodim and sethoxydim during the extraction to their respective sulfoxides. The limit of quantitation was <0.1 microgram L(-1). We have shown that we can analyze and confirm three cyclohexanedione oxime herbicides and two metabolites in water by LC/ES/MS. This multiresidue method should also be appropriate for other cyclohexanedione oximes.