A new material based on poly(methyltetradecylsiloxane) (PMTDS) thermally immobilized onto a silica support has been tested as a sorbent for the solid-phase extraction (SPE) from water of several pesticides used in soybean cultivation. The SPE methodology was developed and validated for six of these pesticides (imazethapyr, imazaquin, metsulfuron-methyl, bentazone, chlorimuron-ethyl and tebuconazole) according to the International Conference on Harmonization directives and the results were compared with those obtained with a commercial C 18 SPE cartridge. The PMTDS-based sorbent gives results similar to the commercial sorbent with recoveries and precisions in agreement with directives for residue analysis. The quantification limits, after concentration, of all the pesticides evaluated were 1.0 mu g L-1, below the levels imposed by the principal regulatory agencies. The PMTDS-based sorbent preparation is fast, easy and reproducible and the cartridges are less expensive than similar commercial SPE materials. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.58213440