scope:

This document specifies a gas chromatographic method with electron capture detection (ECD) for the determination of organochlorine pesticides (OCP's) in animal feeding stuffs.

The method is applicable to animal feeding stuffs with a water content up to about 20 % by weight and oil/fatty samples containing residues of one or more of the following OCP's, toxaphene and some of their isomers and degradation products:

- aldrin;

- dieldrin;

- chlordane (as the sum of chlordane isomers and oxychlordane);

- dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) (as the sum of isomers op'-DDT, pp'-DDT, pp'-TDE (pp'-DDD), and pp'-DDE);

- endosulfan (as the sum of α-/β-isomers and endosulfan-sulphate);

- endrin (sum of endrin and delta-keto-endrin);

- heptachlor (as the sum of heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide);

- hexachlorobenzene (HCB);

- hexachlorocyclohexane isomers α-HCH (α-BHC), β-HCH (β-BHC), γ-HCH (γ-BHC or lindane);

- photo heptachlor;

- cis- and trans-nonachlor;

A limit of quantification (LOQ) for the mentioned OCPs of 5 ng/g is intended to be obtained. However, 10 ng/g applies for heptachlor, aldrin, endrin, dieldrin, and endosulfan (α-/β- and sulphate). Individual laboratories are responsible for ensuring that the equipment that they use, achieves these limits of quantifications. The LOQs apply to the individual OCPs.