Determination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in breast milk from Rio Grande do Sul,Brazil, using a modified QuEChERS method and gas chromatography-negative chemical ionisation-mass spectrometry

ABSTRACT

The food chain is the main source of exposure to humans by organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) due to the bioaccumulation. Breast milk can accumulate OCPs, so this matrix is often used as an environmental bioindicator. The currently available methods for the determination of several OCPs and metabolites in breast milk involve, in general, multi-step sample preparation and quantification techniques with low selectivity, high cost and much time and labour. Thus, a fast and efficient method based on sample preparation using the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) method combined with gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with negative chemical ionisation (GC-NCI-MS) was developed, validated and applied for determination of 16 OCPs and metabolites in breast milk samples. The extract was cleaned by dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) using MgSO₄ and C18, evaporated in a Turbovap® system, redissolved and analysed by GC-NCI-MS. The method was validated showing acceptable recoveries (72–118%) and precision (RSD <19%). Method limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) ranged from 0.75 to 7.5 ng g^?1 and from 2.5 to 25 ng g^?1 lipid, respectively. The method was successfully applied to 20 samples of breast milk from different regions of the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, of which 75% contained residues below the LOQs.     

Trends in the monitoring of legacy and emerging organic pollutants in protected areas

Protected Areas (PAs) are locations for conservation, internationally recognized for their natural, ecological, and/or cultural values. Human presence in PAs is generally limited to minimal or banned exploitation of natural resources. However, different threats to PAs are evident as a result of short and long-range transport of organic pollutants of legacy and emerging concern. There has been a shift of interest in legacy pollutants such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to emerging compounds, resulting in a need for improved monitoring strategies in PAs. Here, we highlight the main advances in environmental analytical chemistry for legacy and emerging pollution monitoring in PAs. Trends in sampling, sample preparation and instrumental determination of multiclass organic pollutants in biotic and abiotic matrices are presented and discussed. Here, we considered the most relevant and recent literature regarding organic pollutants in PAs from terrestrial to aquatic landscapes collected within 2015 to the present time frame.     

保留时间两点校正反相高效液相色谱法测定持久性有机污染物的正辛醇-水分配系数

采用改进的反相高效液相色谱法(RP-HPLC)测定了持久性有机污染物(POPs)包括多环芳烃(PAHs)、多氯二苯并二恶英(PCDDs)、多氯二苯并呋喃(PCDFs)和十溴二苯乙烷(DBDPE)等的正辛醇-水分配系数(logKow)。采用保留时间双点校正法(DP-RTC)校正因色谱柱老化等引起的保留时间漂移。以37种有可靠logKow实验值的苯系物、PAHs、PCDD/Fs类似物为模型化合物,建立了logKow和外推至纯水相的保留因子logkw的定量结构-色谱保留关系(QSRR)模型,回归方程为logKow=(1.18±0.02)logkw+(0.36±0.11),其相关系数(R2)为0.985,交叉验证相关系数(R2cv)为0.983,标准偏差(SD)为0.16。进而,用4个已有可靠logKow实验值的验证化合物(联苯、芴、PCDD 1和PCDF 114)对模型进行了外部验证,表明RP-HPLC测得的logKow值与摇瓶法/慢搅法结果有很好的一致性,尤其是对疏水性强的化合物。采用该模型测定了29种特别受关注的POPs的logKow值,这些化合物的logKow实验值均未见报道。所建立的DP-RTC-HPLC是测定强疏水性POPs的logKow值的一种值得推荐的方法。     

Determination of organochlorine pesticide residues in fatty foods: a critical review on the analytical methods and their testing capabilities

Organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues in foods have been of concern for several decades. However, the analysis of some of the OCPs and their metabolites or derivatives, such as endrin aldehyde, endrin ketone, nonachlor, etc. in fatty foods (including foods of animal and plant origin), was not commonly included in routine monitoring programme. Recently, the Stockholm Convention introduced nine plus one new persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that included chlordecone and some other OCPs. Is there a method available that can analyze both traditional OCPs, together with their metabolites and derivatives in fatty foods? Furthermore, is there a suitable method that can monitor OCPs and the newly added POPs including chlordecone in fatty foods together in a pot? This review aims to provide some background information to answer these questions.     

Organic contamination in clams,Venerupis aurea laeta and Cerastoderma edule glaucum,from Sicily (Italy)

Two species of edible clams Venerupis aurea laeta and Cerastoderma edule glaucum from Ganzirri Lake (Sicily, Italy) were investigated to determine OCP and PCB residues by GC-MS. Thirty-five samples were examined for two years in order to perform: a) their actual contamination; b) the daily dietary exposure of seafood consumers to the pollutants in question. In all the clams analysed in this study, PCB and OCP (4,4′-DDE) residues are always below the limits fixed by law. It seems that there is some seasonality of concentrations observed. In fact the more high concentrations of residues are detected in the hot months, for both species and years. Given the consumption of clams and the values obtained in this study for the two species analysed, it is possible estimate that the average daily dietary intake of NDL-PCB and of 4,4′-DDE for adults is really low.     

一种可能形成POPs途径的初探-气相苯的氯化反应

用串联质谱碰撞室模拟大气环境研究了持久性有机污染物(POPs)形成过程,实验发现,经离子-分子反应可以生成氯苯类化合物。 以中性苯与酰氯为反应物在离子源进行反应,在苯含量为4×10^-3Pa、酰氯含量为4×10^-4Pa时,氯苯的生成量为5×10^-8Pa,远远高于背底浓度5×10^-9Pa。对氯苯类化合物的形成,大气环境明显优于质谱环境,实验结果表明,在大气中经离子分子反应形成POPs是可能的。     

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) at Ross Sea (Antarctica)

The most significant findings on the presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the marine ecosystem at Ross Sea are presented. Seawater samples were collected in many sampling sites located in a large area of the Ross Sea during various Italian expeditions in Antarctica. Two classes of POPs were considered, namely polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results highlighted the presence of these compounds in seawater samples at a total concentration level of about 50 pg/l for PCBs, and 220 pg/l for PAHs. Moreover, seawater samples showed low to high molecular weight PAHs (LMW/HMW) and phenanthrene to anthracene (PHE/ANT) ratios higher than 1 and 5, respectively, which may suggest the predominance of a petrogenic source (i.e. petroleum product contamination). Results were also obtained on the POP depth profile in the water column at Cape Adere, where two water masses converge and mix, i.e. the Modified Circumpolar Deep Water (MCDW) and the High Salinity Shelf Water (HSSW). According to both the PAH and temperature profiles a two-fold higher PAH and PCB concentration was observed for MCDW samples with respect to HSSW. This result represents the first experimental evidence of the external input of pollutants in this area of the Ross Sea coming from the outer oceanic circulation.     

多溴联苯的污染来源、分析方法和环境污染特征

多溴联苯（polybrominated biphenyls,PBBs）是一类曾被广泛使用的溴代阻燃剂,这类化学物质具有半挥发性,能够远距离迁移,可在环境中持久存在,并且能够在生物体内累积和放大,对全球环境和人类健康构成潜在的危害。2009年,《关于持久性有机污染物的斯德哥尔摩公约》新POPs审查委员会将六溴联苯商业产品列入其附件A,禁止六溴联苯的工业生产和使用。因此,近期对环境中多溴联苯的来源、分析方法和污染水平等相关研究引起了广泛的关注。本文介绍了PBBs的基本理化性质和毒性,对作为溴代阻燃剂的PBBs的生产量进行归纳,并提出需要开展深入和广泛研究来认识是否在工业生产过程中存在PBBs的非故意生成和排放,对当前环境中PBBs的分析方法进行了总结,并对PBBs当前的环境污染水平和污染特征进行了简要概述,最后对PBBs相关的未来研究进行了初步展望。     

水相中POPs光化学降解研究进展

综述了近年来12种持久性有机污染物(POPs)在水体中光化学降解行为,从水体中POPs的光解途径、光解机理和定量结构-性质关系(QSPR)三个方面探讨了POPs在水体中的光化学行为,展望了水体中POPs光化学行为的研究前景.