Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining pesticide residues in the soil or plant material, which comprises processing a soil or plant material sample to a fine powder, converting the powder or a portion thereof into a form accessible for determining the analyte, and determining the analyte. The invention is thus concerned with environmental analysis and in particular environmental trace analysis. The method advantageously allows the use of microextraction techniques and thus a high sample throughput.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining dangerous or pesticidal residues in plastics, which comprises processing a plastic sample to a fine powder, converting the powder into a form accessible for determining the analyte, and determining the analyte. The present invention is thus concerned with the analysis of plastics, in particular trace analysis of residues in plastics. The method advantageously allows the use of microextraction techniques and thus a high sample throughput. The method is especially useful for determining whether or not a plastic sample such as agricultural waste plastics contain pesticidal residues.

Abstract: Analytical reagents designated "release tags", for labeling molecular species with a highly detectable signal group which can be released in the form of a volatile compound at a desired point in an analytical procedure. In one embodiment, the release tags have the formula(SgCo).sub.x L(Rx).sub.rwherein each Sg is a signal group bearing one or more electronegative substituents, L is any of a wide variety of groups which when attached to a carbonyl group form a readily cleaved linkage, each COL moiety is a release group which upon scission releases signal group Sg in the form of a volative compound, and each Rx is a reactivity group for attaching the release tag compound to a molecular species to be labeled. In a second embodiment, the release tags have the formulaSgReRxwherein Sg and Rx are defined as above and Re is a release group which is an olefin, .alpha.-hydroxy ketone or vicinal diol. Conjugates of the release tag compounds and assay methods employing them are also disclosed.

Abstract: A release tag reagent suitable for use in the chemical analysis of a substance to be detected comprises signal, release, and reactivity groups. A class of release tag compounds that are cleaved to release as signal groups very stable electrophoric ketones which are sufficiently volatile for determination in the gas phase of an analytical reaction mixture is disclosed.

Abstract: A release tag reagent suitable for use in the chemical analysis of a substance to be detected comprises signal, release, and reactivity groups. A class of release tag compounds that are cleaved to release as signal groups very stable electrophoric ketones which are sufficiently volatile for determination in the gas phase of an analytical reaction mixture is disclosed.

Abstract: A release tag reagent suitable for use in the chemical analysis of a substance to be detected comprises signal, release, and reactivity groups. A class of release tag compounds that are cleaved to release as signal groups very stable electrophoric ketones which are sufficiently volatile for determination in the gas phase of an analytical reaction mixture is disclosed.

Abstract: A release tag reagent suitable for use in the chemical analysis of a substance to be detected comprises signal, release, and reactivity groups. A class of release tag compounds that are cleaved to release as signal groups very stable electrophoric ketones which are sufficiently volatile for determination in the gas phase of an analytical reaction mixture is disclosed.