Polyethylene as a source of artifacts in the paper chromatography of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides

The introduction of artifacts from vessels, materials, and chemicals is a serious problem in the study of pesticide residues. It is therefore of interest to record findings that polyethylene wash bottles contain substances soluble in organic solvents and reactive with the silver nitrate chromogenic spray commonly employed in the paper chromatographic analysis of chlorinated organic insecticides.