Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2599778 | Toxicology Letters | 2012 | 8 Pages |
Human exposure to atrazine and other triazine herbicides results in urinary excretion of traces of parent compounds and of their metabolites formed by N-dealkylation or conjugation with mercapturic acid. In contrast to N-dealkylated metabolites, which are not compound-specific, the measurement of atrazine mercapturate and unchanged atrazine provides an unambiguous confirmation of exposure to this herbicide. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of these two compounds in a group of agricultural workers who may be considered representative for typical behaviour and procedures during the atrazine application in Croatia. The spot urine samples were collected at the beginning (samples A) and at the end (samples B) of a working day and 12 h after exposure has ended (samples C). Atrazine and atrazine mercapturate were extracted from acidified urine samples (pH 2) with ethyl acetate and the extracts were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with a turbo ion spray (electrospray) ionization interface. The detection limits based on treatment of 2 ml urine samples were 0.2 ng ml−1 for both analytes. Atrazine was not detected in any of 27 analysed urine samples but traces of atrazine mercapturate were measured in about a third of pre-exposure and in all post-exposure urine samples in mass concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 10.4 ng ml−1 (0.3 to 8.0 μg g−1 of creatinine). The metabolite concentrations in B and C group of post-exposure samples were not significantly different. The urinary atrazine mercapturate post-exposure concentrations were comparable to those reported for U.S. farmers engaged in a single field application of atrazine.
► Urinary atrazine mercapturate and atrazine were measured in workers applying atrazine in Croatia. ► Extracts of pre and post-exposure spot urine samples were analysed by LC–MS/MS. ► Atrazine was not detected in any sample. ► Atrazine mercapturate was identified in all post-exposure urine samples. ► Atrazine mercapturate was confirmed as a reliable indicator of recent exposure to atrazine.