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Herbicide Detection

Detect and quantify herbicide residues in water with advanced Q-TOF mass spectrometry analysis. Our facilities in Korea, Singapore, and China deliver ultra-sensitive detection of agricultural herbicides, their metabolites, and transformation products at trace concentrations. From glyphosate to atrazine, paraquat to 2,4-D, our comprehensive screening services protect drinking water sources, monitor agricultural runoff, and ensure compliance with water quality standards for herbicide contamination in surface water, groundwater, and drinking water systems.

Understanding Herbicide Contamination in Water

Why Herbicides are Critical Water Contaminants

Agricultural chemicals as persistent water quality threats:

• Sources of Contamination - Agricultural application (croplands, orchards, vineyards) | Non-agricultural use (roadsides, railways, rights-of-way, golf courses) | Urban and residential lawn/garden care | Forestry management | Aquatic weed control in lakes, reservoirs, irrigation canals | Atmospheric deposition (spray drift, volatilization) | Industrial manufacturing and formulation facilities
• Transport Pathways - Surface runoff during rainfall events (primary pathway) | Subsurface drainage from agricultural tile drains | Groundwater leaching (especially mobile herbicides like atrazine, metolachlor) | Direct overspray or drift into surface waters | Soil erosion carrying adsorbed herbicides | Irrigation return flows | Point source discharges (equipment cleaning, spills)
• Environmental Persistence - Half-lives range from days to years depending on compound and conditions | Degradation by photolysis (sunlight), hydrolysis, microbial metabolism | Some herbicides and metabolites highly persistent (e.g., atrazine metabolites, glyphosate-AMPA) | Seasonal concentration patterns (peak during/after application, spring-summer) | Legacy contamination from banned herbicides (e.g., DDT, dieldrin) still detected decades later
• Human Health Concerns - Endocrine disruption (atrazine affects reproductive hormones at low µg/L) | Carcinogenicity concerns (some triazines, chlorophenoxy herbicides) | Developmental and reproductive toxicity | Liver and kidney damage (chronic exposure) | Immune system effects | Drinking water exposure via contaminated sources | Vulnerable populations: pregnant women, infants, agricultural workers
• Ecological Impacts - Non-target plant toxicity (aquatic macrophytes, algae) | Disruption of aquatic food webs | Fish toxicity (acute and chronic) | Amphibian decline (atrazine linked to deformities, hermaphroditism) | Benthic invertebrate community changes | Bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms | Synergistic toxicity with other pesticides
• Regulatory Standards - US EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs): Atrazine 3 µg/L, Simazine 4 µg/L, 2,4-D 70 µg/L, Glyphosate 700 µg/L | EU Drinking Water Directive: Individual pesticide limit 0.1 µg/L, total pesticides 0.5 µg/L | WHO Guidelines for numerous herbicides | Increasingly stringent limits as toxicological data emerges | Monitoring requirements for public water systems

Q-TOF Analysis for Herbicide Detection

Advanced Mass Spectrometry for Multi-Residue Screening

High-resolution accurate mass analysis for herbicide quantification:

• Technology Advantages for Herbicides - Simultaneous analysis of 100+ herbicides and metabolites in single run | High mass accuracy (<2 ppm) distinguishes isobaric compounds | Full-scan acquisition allows retrospective data analysis (detect new compounds without reanalysis) | Structural elucidation via MS/MS fragmentation | Quantitative and qualitative analysis combined | Minimal matrix effects with proper sample preparation
• Herbicide-Specific Challenges - Wide polarity range (ionic to neutral compounds) | Glyphosate and AMPA require derivatization or specialized chromatography | Quaternary ammonium herbicides (paraquat, diquat) need HILIC or ion-pairing LC | Chlorophenoxy acids (2,4-D, MCPA) analyzed as free acids or derivatized esters | Multiple metabolites and transformation products per parent herbicide | Matrix complexity from dissolved organic matter, humic substances
• Sample Preparation - Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) for neutral and acidic herbicides: HLB, C18, or mixed-mode cartridges | SPE for polar herbicides: Weak anion exchange (WAX), Oasis MAX | Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) for chlorophenoxy acids | Direct injection for highly contaminated samples (agricultural runoff, point sources) | Derivatization for glyphosate: FMOC-Cl (fluorescence) or methylation for MS detection | Concentration factor: 100-1000× typical (1-2L water → 0.5-1 mL extract)
• Detection Limits - Routine detection: 0.01-0.1 µg/L (10-100 ng/L) for most herbicides | Ultra-trace analysis: 0.001-0.01 µg/L (1-10 ng/L) for sensitive compounds | Glyphosate/AMPA: 0.05-0.5 µg/L (post-derivatization) | Paraquat/Diquat: 0.01-0.1 µg/L (HILIC-MS/MS) | Meets or exceeds regulatory requirements (EPA, EU, WHO) | Suitable for drinking water compliance and source water monitoring
• Analytical Workflow - Sample filtration (0.45 µm) and preservation (pH adjustment, refrigeration) | SPE or LLE extraction with appropriate sorbent/solvent | LC separation: C18 reversed-phase (most herbicides) or HILIC (polar compounds) | Q-TOF MS analysis: ESI+ and ESI- modes, full-scan MS + data-dependent MS/MS | Data processing: Peak detection, library matching, quantification against calibration curves | Quality control: Matrix spikes, duplicates, blanks, reference standards

Herbicide Detection Panels

Panel 1: Triazine Herbicides & Metabolites (12 Compounds)

Widely used, persistent, endocrine-disrupting herbicides:

Herbicide	Mode of Action	Primary Uses	Drinking Water (µg/L)	Surface Water (µg/L)	Groundwater (µg/L)
Atrazine	Photosystem II inhibitor	Corn, sorghum, sugarcane	0.1-5.0	0.5-50	0.05-10
Desethylatrazine (DEA)	Atrazine metabolite	Atrazine degradation product	0.05-3.0	0.2-30	0.1-8.0
Deisopropylatrazine (DIA)	Atrazine metabolite	Atrazine degradation product	0.02-1.5	0.1-15	0.05-5.0
Simazine	Photosystem II inhibitor	Aquatic weed control, non-crop	0.05-2.0	0.2-20	0.02-5.0
Cyanazine	Photosystem II inhibitor	Corn (now restricted in many regions)	ND-1.0	0.05-10	ND-3.0
Propazine	Photosystem II inhibitor	Sorghum, millet	ND-0.5	0.02-5.0	ND-2.0
Terbuthylazine	Photosystem II inhibitor	Corn, cereals (EU common)	0.02-2.0	0.1-15	0.05-5.0
Ametryn	Photosystem II inhibitor	Sugarcane, pineapple	ND-0.5	0.05-8.0	ND-2.0
Prometryn	Photosystem II inhibitor	Cotton, celery	ND-0.3	0.02-5.0	ND-1.0
Terbutryn	Photosystem II inhibitor	Wheat, cereals (EU)	ND-0.5	0.05-6.0	ND-2.0
Hexazinone	Photosystem II inhibitor	Forestry, sugarcane, non-crop	0.05-3.0	0.2-25	0.1-10
Metribuzin	Photosystem II inhibitor	Soybeans, potatoes, tomatoes	0.02-1.5	0.1-12	0.05-5.0

Regulatory Note: US EPA MCL for atrazine: 3 µg/L. EU limit: 0.1 µg/L (individual), 0.5 µg/L (total pesticides). Atrazine metabolites (DEA, DIA) often exceed parent compound in groundwater.

Panel 2: Chloroacetanilide Herbicides & Metabolites (10 Compounds)

High-use herbicides with persistent metabolites:

Herbicide	Mode of Action	Primary Uses	Drinking Water (µg/L)	Surface Water (µg/L)	Groundwater (µg/L)
Metolachlor (S-Metolachlor)	Seedling growth inhibitor	Corn, soybeans, sorghum	0.1-8.0	0.5-60	0.2-15
Metolachlor ESA	Metolachlor metabolite	Environmental degradation product	0.2-10	1.0-80	0.5-20
Metolachlor OXA	Metolachlor metabolite	Environmental degradation product	0.1-5.0	0.5-40	0.2-12
Acetochlor	Seedling growth inhibitor	Corn, soybeans	0.05-3.0	0.2-30	0.1-8.0
Acetochlor ESA	Acetochlor metabolite	Environmental degradation product	0.1-5.0	0.5-50	0.2-15
Alachlor	Seedling growth inhibitor	Corn, soybeans (declining use)	ND-1.0	0.05-10	ND-3.0
Alachlor ESA	Alachlor metabolite	Environmental degradation product	0.05-2.0	0.2-15	0.1-5.0
Butachlor	Seedling growth inhibitor	Rice (Asia), soybeans	0.02-2.0	0.1-20	0.05-5.0
Pretilachlor	Seedling growth inhibitor	Rice (Asia)	0.02-1.5	0.1-15	0.05-4.0
Dimethenamid	Seedling growth inhibitor	Corn, soybeans, sunflower	0.05-3.0	0.2-25	0.1-8.0

Important Note: ESA (ethanesulfonic acid) and OXA (oxanilic acid) metabolites are more mobile and persistent than parent compounds. Often detected at higher concentrations in groundwater.

Panel 3: Glyphosate & Glufosinate (4 Compounds)

Most widely used herbicides worldwide - require specialized analysis:

Herbicide	Mode of Action	Primary Uses	Drinking Water (µg/L)	Surface Water (µg/L)	Groundwater (µg/L)
Glyphosate	EPSPS enzyme inhibitor	Non-selective, Roundup-Ready crops	0.1-20	0.5-100	0.2-30
AMPA (Aminomethylphosphonic acid)	Glyphosate metabolite	Glyphosate degradation product	0.2-30	1.0-150	0.5-50
Glufosinate (Glufosinate-ammonium)	Glutamine synthetase inhibitor	Non-selective, Liberty-Link crops	0.05-5.0	0.2-40	0.1-10
MPPA (3-methylphosphinicopropionic acid)	Glufosinate metabolite	Glufosinate degradation product	0.05-3.0	0.2-25	0.1-8.0

Analytical Note: Glyphosate and glufosinate require derivatization (FMOC-Cl) or specialized LC methods (ion-pairing, HILIC). AMPA often exceeds glyphosate due to high persistence. US EPA MCL for glyphosate: 700 µg/L. EU limit: 0.1 µg/L.

Panel 4: Chlorophenoxy & Benzoic Acid Herbicides (10 Compounds)

Systemic herbicides for broadleaf weed control:

Herbicide	Mode of Action	Primary Uses	Drinking Water (µg/L)	Surface Water (µg/L)	Groundwater (µg/L)
2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)	Synthetic auxin	Cereals, lawns, pastures, rights-of-way	0.5-15	1.0-80	0.2-20
MCPA (2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid)	Synthetic auxin	Cereals, grasslands, turf	0.2-8.0	0.5-50	0.1-15
Mecoprop (MCPP)	Synthetic auxin	Turf, cereals, grasslands	0.1-5.0	0.5-40	0.1-12
2,4,5-T (2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic acid)	Synthetic auxin	Banned/restricted (Agent Orange component)	ND-0.5	ND-3.0	ND-1.0
Dicamba	Synthetic auxin	Cereals, pastures, Xtend crops	0.5-12	1.0-60	0.2-18
Clopyralid	Synthetic auxin	Turf, cereals, canola	0.1-5.0	0.5-35	0.1-10
Triclopyr	Synthetic auxin	Forestry, rights-of-way, turf	0.1-3.0	0.5-25	0.05-8.0
Picloram	Synthetic auxin	Rangeland, rights-of-way	0.5-10	1.0-50	0.5-15
Chloramben	Growth regulator	Soybeans, squash, pumpkins	ND-2.0	0.1-15	ND-5.0
Bentazon	Photosystem II inhibitor	Beans, rice, corn	0.2-8.0	0.5-50	0.1-15

Regulatory Note: US EPA MCL for 2,4-D: 70 µg/L. EU individual pesticide limit: 0.1 µg/L. Chlorophenoxy herbicides often detected in spring/summer during application season.

Panel 5: Other Priority Herbicides (16 Compounds)

Diverse chemistry classes for comprehensive screening:

Herbicide	Mode of Action / Class	Primary Uses	Drinking Water (µg/L)	Surface Water (µg/L)	Groundwater (µg/L)
Paraquat	Bipyridylium (photosystem I)	Non-selective contact herbicide	0.05-3.0	0.2-25	0.1-8.0
Diquat	Bipyridylium (photosystem I)	Aquatic weed control, potatoes	0.1-5.0	0.5-40	0.2-10
Diuron	Urea (photosystem II inhibitor)	Cotton, sugarcane, non-crop	0.2-8.0	0.5-50	0.1-15
Linuron	Urea (photosystem II inhibitor)	Soybeans, potatoes, carrots	0.05-3.0	0.2-25	0.1-8.0
Isoproturon	Urea (photosystem II inhibitor)	Cereals (EU common)	0.1-5.0	0.5-40	0.2-12
Bromoxynil	Nitrile (photosystem II inhibitor)	Cereals, corn, onions	ND-1.0	0.05-8.0	ND-3.0
Pendimethalin	Dinitroaniline (microtubule inhibitor)	Soybeans, corn, cotton, turf	0.05-2.0	0.2-20	ND-5.0
Trifluralin	Dinitroaniline (microtubule inhibitor)	Soybeans, cotton, vegetables	ND-1.0	0.05-10	ND-3.0
Imazapyr	Imidazolinone (ALS inhibitor)	Non-selective, forestry, rights-of-way	0.1-5.0	0.5-40	0.2-15
Imazethapyr	Imidazolinone (ALS inhibitor)	Soybeans, peanuts, legumes	0.05-3.0	0.2-25	0.1-8.0
Nicosulfuron	Sulfonylurea (ALS inhibitor)	Corn	ND-0.5	0.02-5.0	ND-2.0
Metsulfuron-methyl	Sulfonylurea (ALS inhibitor)	Cereals, pastures, rights-of-way	ND-0.5	0.02-5.0	ND-2.0
Ametryn	Triazine (photosystem II inhibitor)	Sugarcane, pineapple	0.05-2.0	0.2-15	0.1-5.0
Propanil	Anilide (photosystem II inhibitor)	Rice (Asia, US South)	0.1-5.0	0.5-40	0.2-12
Molinate	Thiocarbamate (lipid synthesis inhibitor)	Rice	0.05-3.0	0.2-25	0.1-8.0
EPTC (S-Ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate)	Thiocarbamate (lipid synthesis inhibitor)	Corn, beans, alfalfa	ND-2.0	0.1-15	ND-5.0

ND = Not Detected (below detection limit ~0.01-0.05 µg/L). Concentration ranges represent typical values from agricultural watersheds. Urban/suburban areas may show different patterns.

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