Development and evaluation of C18 and immunosorbent solid-phase extraction methods prior immunochemical analysis of chlorophenols in human urine

Two solid-phase extraction (SPE) methods, based on hydrophobic and selective (antibody-antigen) interactions, have been established and evaluated as clean-up methods prior the immunochemical analysis of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) in urine samples. Without a clean-up method the extent of interferences caused by the urine matrix in the ELISA [R. Galve, M. Nichkova, F. Camps, F. Sanchez-Baeza, M.-P. Marco, Anal. Chem. 74 (2002) 468] varies depending on individual urine samples and accurate measurements are only possible when 2,4,6-TCP concentration levels are higher than 40 μg L−1. Both sample preparation methods improve detectability of the immunochemical method getting rid of the variability due to the intrinsic individual differences within the urine samples. Even though, the immunosorbent (IS)-SPE method developed has proven to be a superior sample preparation method eliminating completely matrix effects caused by both, non-hydrolyzed (NH) and hydrolyzed urine samples. The LOD reached by the C18-SPE-ELISA method (∼4 μg L−1 for free and total chlorophenols) is sufficient for exposure assessment of the occupationally exposed population. However, the detectability (0.66 and 0.83 μg L−1 in NH and hydrolyzed urine samples, respectively) accomplished by the IS-SPE-ELISA allows also biomonitoring potential exposure of non-occupationally exposed groups. Moreover, the specificity of the IS-SPE procedure can be modulated to provide a group-specific (9 chlorophenols and 2 bromophenols are extracted with an efficacy superior to 85%) or a more selective protocol (only 2,3,4,6-TtCP, 2,4,6-TCP are extracted with a recovery superior to 80% and 2,4,6-tribromophenol with a 70% recovery). On the other hand, the IS-SPE extracts produce cleaner chromatograms allowing quantitation by GC-ECD (or GC-MS) after toluene extraction and derivatization with a LOD near 0.1 μg L−1 in NH and hydrolyzed urine samples. The IS-SPE-ELISA method has been validated with GC-ECD using spiked and real urine samples. This study also provides evidences of the general exposure of the population to organochlorinated and organobrominated substances. Measurable levels of 2,4,6-TCP, 2,4,5-TCP, 2,3,4,6-TtCP, 2,4,6-TBP and 2,4-DBP have been detected in some of the samples used in this study.