An analytical method for the total content of a fungicide, (E)-4-chloro-a,a,a-trifluoro-N-(1-imidazole-l-yl-2-propoxyethylidene)-o-toluidine (triflumizole), and its metabolites in crops is described. Triflumizole and its metabolites having the 4-chloro-a,a,a-trifluoro-o-toluidine moiety in crops are converted to a derivative, 4-chloro-a,a,a-trifluoro-otoluidine, by hydrolyses in an acetate buffer solution, and then a sodium hydroxide solution; the derivative is cleaned by distillation, column chromatography and then determined by either high performance liquid chromatography or gas chromatography.The limit of detection was set at 0.02 ppm. The recoveries ranged from 69 to 97%. Many kinds of crops sprayed with triflumizole were analyzed by both the individual analytical method for triflumizole and its main metabolite and the total analytical method; the amounts of residues were compared. When samples having a short preharvest interval were analyzed, the obtained residue values from both methods were almost the same. In order to establish the tolerances from the maximum residue value for each crop, analyses by the individual analytical method are considered to be sufficient.

An analytical method for a fungicide, (E)-4-chloro-a,a,a-trifluoro-N-(1-imidazole-l-yl-2-propoxyethylidene)-o-toluidine (triflumizole), and its metabolite 4-chloro-a,a,a-trifluoro-N-(1-amino-2-propoxyethylidene)-o-toluidine, in crops is described. These compounds in crops are extracted with methanol and then cleaned by liquid-liquid partition and column chromatography.Determinations were performed by both high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography.The detection limit was set at 0.02 ppm. The recoveries ranged from 72 to 101%.