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Title: Evaluation of assays for the identification and quantitation of muconic acid, a benzene metabolite in human urine

Journal Article · · Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
; ; ; ; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ (United States)
  2. Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Muconic acid (MA) is a urinary metabolite of benzene and has been used as a biomarker of exposure to benzene in humans exposed to levels as low as 1 ppm. We have modified a high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) based assay for urinary MA by the use of a diode array detector. This modification increases the specificity of the HPLC-based assay by identifying false positives. In addition, we have developed a gas chromatography (GC) based assay that uses a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Both assays identified and quantified MA in human urine at concentrations greater than 40-50 ng/ml. Assay precision was within 10% relative standard deviation for MA concentrations above 90 ng/ml using the HPLC assay and above 40 ng/ml using the GC-FID assay. Quantitative accuracy of the assays was evaluated by determining MA in human urine samples using both methods and also a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) procedure. Numerical correlation among the three assays was good at MA concentrations above 100 ng/ml. 26 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76EV01013
OSTI ID:
79414
Journal Information:
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Vol. 42, Issue 3; Other Information: PBD: 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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