Using ambient mass spectrometry to explore the origins of phthalate contamination in a mass spectrometry laboratory

Hung Su; Yan-Jyun Huang; Min-Zong Huang; Ya-Ting Lee; Szu-Chia Chen; Chih-Hsing Hung; Chao-Hung Kuo; Ming-Tsang Wu; Jentaie Shiea

doi:10.1016/j.aca.2020.01.031

Using ambient mass spectrometry to explore the origins of phthalate contamination in a mass spectrometry laboratory

Anal Chim Acta. 2020 Apr 8:1105:128-138. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2020.01.031. Epub 2020 Feb 6.

Authors

Hung Su¹, Yan-Jyun Huang¹, Min-Zong Huang², Ya-Ting Lee³, Szu-Chia Chen⁴, Chih-Hsing Hung⁵, Chao-Hung Kuo⁴, Ming-Tsang Wu⁶, Jentaie Shiea⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-Sen University Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
² Rapidsure Technology Corporation, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
³ Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Municipal Siao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Siao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Municipal Siao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: e_encourage@yahoo.com.
⁷ Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-Sen University Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Medicinal and Applied Chemistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: jetea@mail.nsysu.edu.tw.

PMID: 32138911
DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2020.01.031

Abstract

Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors that can have adverse effects on human hormonal balance and development. Phthalates are semi-volatile chemical compounds, thus they can continuously leach from phthalate-containing objects and pollute the environments such as offices or laboratories, where workers in these spaces can inhale potentially harmful amounts of phthalates. Identifying and removing phthalate-contaminated objects from these indoor environments can effectively eliminate exposure to these environmental hormones. However, as of now, it is highly impractical to perform a large-scale screening of phthalate-containing objects using conventional analytical techniques which are usually time- and labor-intensive. In this study, thermal desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (TD-ESI/MS) combined with probe sampling was used to screen phthalates on all non-metallic objects in a mass spectrometry (MS) laboratory. Due to sample pre-treatment was unnecessary and there was no limitation of sampling on sample's shape, size, and material, screening of phthalates on an object using this ambient mass spectrometric approach was completed within 30 s, which enable sufficient and high-throughput screening. Phthalate signals of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) were qualitatively detected on the surfaces of the filters of air conditioners and air purifiers and laboratory door, indicating there was a possibility of phthalates contamination in the studying area. Other screened objects in the laboratory included the ceiling, wall, floor, chairs, benches, pipes, mechanical vacuum pump tubes, and some personal belongings, all of which contained phthalates. Among them, floor and mechanical vacuum pump tubes contained high concentration of DEHP, DINP and DIDP, suggesting they were the main sources of phthalate contamination in the MS laboratory.

Keywords: High-throughput screening; Mass spectrometry laboratory; Phthalates; Sampling probe; Thermal desorption.