Quantification of phenolic metabolites of environmental chemicals in human urine using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and isotope dilution quantification

J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2005 Jun 25;820(2):229-36. doi: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2005.03.012. Epub 2005 Apr 26.

Abstract

We have developed a method to measure 12 urinary phenolic metabolites of pesticides or related chemicals. The target chemicals for our method are 2-isopropoxyphenol; 2,4-dichlorophenol; 2,5-dichlorophenol; carbofuranphenol; 2,4,5-trichlorophenol; 2,4,6-trichlorophenol; 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol; para-nitrophenol, ortho-phenylphenol, pentachlorophenol, 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol. The sample preparation involves enzyme hydrolysis, isolation of the target chemicals using solid phase extraction cartridges, a phase-transfer catalyzed derivatization, cleanup using sorbent-immobilized liquid/liquid extraction cartridges, and concentration of the sample. Derivatized samples are analyzed by capillary gas chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy using isotope dilution calibration for quantification. The limits of detection are in the mid ng/L range and the average coefficient of variation was below 15% for most of the analytes. Using our method, we measured concentrations of the target chemicals in urine samples from the general population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Calibration
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Humans
  • Isotopes
  • Phenols / urine*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Isotopes
  • Phenols