Analysis of pentachlorophenol in water and urine by enrichment with lipidex ® 5000

Abstract

A method using the lipophilic gel Lipidex ® 5000 for sorption of pentachlorophenol (PCP) from water and urine is described. The procedure for water gives a simultaneous clean-up from lipophilic contaminants and also offers the possibility for determination of less polar compounds, such as 1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane ( p,p′-DDT) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD), collected in a separate fraction. The extracted PCP is derivatized to pentachlorophenyl acetate, which is determined by electron-capture gas chromatography. The average recovery of 0.01–0.15 ng PCP per ml water was 96% and of labelled p,p′-DDT (ca. 5 ng/ml) and TCDD (ca. 0.001 ng/ml) 95 and 92%, respectively. A similar method for enrichment of PCP was applied to acidified urine and to urine hydrolysed with hydrochloric acid or with digestive juice from Helix pomatia. Recoveries of 0.1–2.5 ng PCP per ml non-hydrolysed urine were on an average 92% and of 2.5–10 ng PCP per ml hydrolysed urine 96%. The analyses indicate that PCP in urine from non-occupationally exposed persons is originally conjugated and to some extent liberated when stored. The contamination of organic solvents and laboratory environments with PCP is discussed.