Determination of styrene-7,8-oxide in whole rat blood by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A rapid and selective method for the determination of styrene-7,8-oxide (SO) in whole blood has been developed. Blood samples as small as 0.1 ml are extracted once with benzene containing phenyl propylene oxide as an internal standard. The extracts are analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using an automated cold on-column injection system to avoid thermal rearrangement of SO to phenylacetaldehyde. The overall mean recovery (+/- 2 sigma) of SO from fortified blood samples was 92 +/- 21% and the detection limit was 10 ng/g. Results of experiments examining the half-life of SO in whole rat blood are presented. The method was also used to analyze sequential blood samples from rats administered SO orally.