Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of polychlorostyrene congener mixtures in sediments, human sera and cord sera

• Complex mixtures of polychlorostyrenes are produced and released into the environment by reaction of chlorine with graphite at high temperatures, e.g. in electrodes. The occurrence of these compounds in the environment or human tissues is often indicative of pollution from electrolytic processes. Combined gas chromatography coupled to electron impact and negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry is described here for the analysis of these compounds in sediments, human venous sera and cord sera. This method has allowed a specific congener identification and quantification of the chlorostyrene mixtures present in fluvial sediments polluted by effluents from a chlorine-alkali plant. Besides octachlorostyrene, the mixture of compounds identified involved the six possible heptachlorostyrenes, fifteen hexachlorostyrenes and seven pentachlorostyrenes, having concentrations in the range of 76-16000 ng g(-1) dry weight. In human sera from the Population exposed to airborne emissions from this plant these compounds ranged between 17 and 63 ng L-1 and the distributions were dominated by octachlorostyrene, three heptachlorostyrenes, including beta,beta-2,3,4,5,6-heptachlorostyrene, and alpha-2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorostyrene. Both distribution patterns showed major differences in composition despite the common pollution source that was influencing both types of samples. The method also revealed qualitative differences between maternal and cord sera from the exposed population.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

airborne

chemical ionization

chlorinated styrenes

chlorine-alkali plant effluents

contamination

fish

fluvial sediments

gas chromatography coupled to negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry

hexachlorobenzene

human samples

identification

lake-ontario

octachlorostyrene

organochlorine

polychlorostyrenes

quantification

samples

sediment

sediments

Environmental chemistry

Miljökemi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)