Monitoring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites in human urine: extraction and purification with a sol-gel...

A new, rapid method for selective extraction of hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites (OH-PAHs) in human urine was developed using an immunosorbent of anti-pyrene antibodies which were encapsulated in a sol-gel glass (SGG) matrix. Resulting chromatograms after immunoextraction of urine samples and HPLC analysis of the extracts were free from matrix interferences. The LODs for the determination of OH-PAHs in these difficult samples were in the low-ppt range (1-16 ng/L). In addition to its high selectivity, the immunosorbent proved to be robust and reusable. Obtained recoveries in spiked urine samples ranged from 83 to 107% for the hydroxyphenanthrene and hydroxypyrene compounds under investigation, while recovery for 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene was only 45-62%. In a biomonitoring study, the SGG immunosorbent was successfully used for trace-level analysis of OH-PAHs in 20 human urine samples. Results were compared to data obtained by an independent reference analysis method and revealed good correlation between both methods.