Cumulative exposure assessment for trace-level polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using human blood and plasma analysis.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Humans experience chronic cumulative trace-level exposure to mixtures of volatile, semi-volatile, and non-volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in the environment as by-products of combustion processes. Certain PAHs are known or suspected human carcinogens and so we have developed methodology for measuring their circulating (blood borne) concentrations as a tool to assess internal dose and health risk. We use liquid/liquid extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and present analytical parameters including dynamic range (0-250 ng/ml), linearity (>0.99 for all compounds), and instrument sensitivity (range 2-22 pg/ml) for a series of 22 PAHs representing 2-6-rings. The method is shown to be sufficiently sensitive for estimating PAHs baseline levels (typical median range from 1 to 1000 pg/ml) in groups of normal control subjects using 1-ml aliquots of human plasma but we note that some individuals have very low background concentrations for 5- and 6-ring compounds that fall below robust quantitation levels.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Pleil, JD; Stiegel, MA; Sobus, JR; Tabucchi, S; Ghio, AJ; Madden, MC

Published Date

  • July 2010

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 878 / 21

Start / End Page

  • 1753 - 1760

PubMed ID

  • 20488767

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1873-376X

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1570-0232

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.jchromb.2010.04.035

Language

  • eng