Ultra-trace quantification method for chlordecone in human fluids and tissues

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Toxicology

Background:

• Chlordecone is a persistent organic pollutant (POP) with adverse health effects.
• Its unique properties challenge traditional analytical methods.
• There is a need for sensitive detection in human tissues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multi-residue method for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), including chlordecone.
• To achieve quantification at parts-per-trillion (ppt) levels in human samples.
• To prevent degradation during analysis for accurate biomonitoring.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of Gas Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (GC-HRMS) with tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS/MS) and Electron Ionization (EI) vs. Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI).
• Optimization of Gas Chromatography (GC) column dimensions for enhanced sensitivity.
• Preference for Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization-tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) due to linear response and sensitivity.
• Development of an acetonitrile-based gradient on a C30 coreshell HPLC column.

Main Results:

• LC-ESI-MS/MS demonstrated superior sensitivity and linear response for chlordecone.
• Optimized GC parameters significantly improved sensitivity.
• Achieved limits of quantification as low as 8 ng/L in breast milk, 25 pg/mL in serum, and 0.2 ng/g fat in adipose tissue.
• Enabled multiresidue OCP quantification at levels suitable for biomonitoring.

Conclusions:

• The developed LC-ESI-MS/MS method is highly sensitive and suitable for OCP analysis in human samples.
• This method overcomes challenges posed by chlordecone's properties.
• The findings support effective human exposure assessment and biomonitoring of POPs.