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Sulphur derivative of hexachlorobenzene in human urine
J To-Figueras1, J Gómez-Catalán, M Rodamilans
1Facultat de Medicina, Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract:
Pentachlorothiophenol, a sulphur derivative of the widespread environmental pollutant hexachlorobenzene (HCB) has been detected and quantified in the urine of a human general population with high body burden of HCB. The sulphur derivative was analysed by GLC-MS as pentachlorothioanisole (PCTA) after hydrolysis and methylation of the respective conjugate and was found in 100% of the samples (n = 40) with a mean concentration of 1.85 +/- 0.98 ng ml-1 (mean +/- s.d., range 0.58-4.50 ng ml-1). No correlation with urinary pentachlorophenol (PCP) and no sex-related differences were found. The derivative may originate from the biotransformation of HCB stored in tissues and may be a useful maker of HCB metabolism in humans.