Analytical method for the determination of acrylonitrile in rat plasma at the nanograms per milliliter level

A method is described for the determination of acrylonitrile (propenenitrile, vinyl cyanide, AN) in rat plasma at the ng/mL level by gas chromatography (GC) utilizing a modified delayed injection technique (DIT) and a nitrogen-phosphorus detector. The method was developed to determine the acrylonitrile plasma profile following administration of various dose levels of AN via different routes. A remote injection apparatus was placed in-line with the purge gas to the precolumn of the DIT. Using this arrangement, matrix interferences in rat plasma samples normally incurred during GC analysis were overcome, while a high sensitivity for acrylonitrile was maintained. The ability to analyze 20-microL samples made serial kills unnecessary and duplicate injections possible with an analysis time of approximately 10 min/sample. The average detection limit for the entire study (3 x background) was 2.0 ng/mL.