Solid-phase microextraction of monocyclic aromatic amines from biological fluids

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Toxicology

Background:

• Monocyclic aromatic amines are significant environmental and occupational toxicants.
• Accurate quantification in biological matrices is crucial for health risk assessment.
• Existing methods for amine analysis can be time-consuming or require complex sample preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and optimize a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) protocol for the quantitative analysis of monocyclic aromatic amines.
• To adapt the SPME method for biological fluids including urine, blood, and milk.
• To establish a rapid and sensitive analytical technique for biomonitoring.

Main Methods:

• Headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS).
• Optimization of extraction parameters: temperature, pH, and ionic strength for five target amines (aniline, o-toluidine, 2-chloroaniline, 2,6-dimethylaniline, 2,4,6-trimethylaniline).
• Analysis of analytes in complex biological matrices (urine, blood, milk).

Main Results:

• The developed SPME method demonstrated good reproducibility (RSD > 11%) across different biological fluids.
• Method detection limits were found to be low, ranging from 0.40 ppb to 7.7 ppb.
• The entire analytical procedure, including extraction and analysis, can be completed within 15 minutes for a 5-mL sample.

Conclusions:

• The optimized headspace SPME protocol provides a rapid, sensitive, and reproducible method for quantifying monocyclic aromatic amines in biological samples.
• This technique is suitable for the biomonitoring of individuals exposed to these compounds through occupational, environmental, or medical sources.
• The method offers a valuable tool for assessing exposure levels and potential health risks associated with monocyclic aromatic amines.