Journal of Chromatography A, 843 (1999) 301–322 Review Trace analysis of pesticides by gas chromatography * ´ G. Rene van der Hoff , Piet van Zoonen National Institute of Public Health and the Environment ( RIVM), P .O. Box 1, NL-3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands Abstract The analysis of pesticides is relevant to both food quality and the environment. Many laboratories are occupied with the analysis of pesticides in food, water or soil. Capillary gas chromatography is the technique most widely used in pesticide analysis. In present laboratory practice it serves as a screening method for over 300 pesticides. In this review we describe the role of gas chromatography as an analytical tool in combination with currently used or recently developed sample preparation techniques.  1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Reviews; Sample preparation; Food analysis; Water analysis; Pesticides Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................ 301 2. Gas chromatography ................................................................................................................................................................ 306 2.1. Separation ...................................................................................................................................................................... 306 2.2. Detection........................................................................................................................................................................ 307 2.3. Post column hyphenation ................................................................................................................................................. 307 2.4. Sample introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 308 2.5. Precolumn hyphenation ................................................................................................................................................... 309 3. Applications ........................................................................................................................................................................... 310 3.1. General considerations .................................................................................................................................................... 310 3.2. Water ............................................................................................................................................................................. 310 3.3. Liquid–liquid extractions ................................................................................................................................................ 311 3.4. Solid phase extraction ..................................................................................................................................................... 312 3.5. Automated solid-phase extraction ..................................................................................................................................... 313 3.6. Fruits and vegetables ....................................................................................................................................................... 313 3.7. Products of animal origin................................................................................................................................................. 315 3.8. Soil ................................................................................................................................................................................ 316 4. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................................. 317 References .................................................................................................................................................................................. 319 1. Introduction improve agricultural productivity. At present more food is produced from a lower area of cultivated land In this century great efforts have been made to with less labour than ever before. Part of this development can be attributed to the *Corresponding author. use or to the application of sophisticated agricultural 0021-9673 / 99 / $ – see front matter  1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S0021-9673(99)00511-7