Determination of biphenyl residues in citrus fruit by derivative infrared spectrophotometry

A method for determination of biphenyl residues in whole citrus fruit is described. The mascerated fruit was distilled in an acid medium, the distillate was extracted with cyclohexane, and biphenyl was determined in the extract using various measures obtained by first and second derivative infrared (IR) spectrophotometry. Calculations were performed by PE680 and SNGLE programs on data obtained using a Perkin-Elmer Model 3600 data station. The relative precision of the determinations at 70 ppm was 1.8 to 2.0%; the detection limit was 5 ppm in all measurements, and recovery of spiking concentrations of 20 to 80 ppm ranged from 90.2 +/- 5.5% (for the amplitude of the 739 cm-1 peak of the first derivative) to 97.5 +/- 2.0% (for the trough-to-peak difference from the 737 cm-1 minimum to the 743 cm-1 maximum of the second derivative.