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OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for simultaneous determination of 12 kinds of chlorobenzene compound(CBs) in workplace air using portable gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) technique. METHODS: The GDH-3 air sampling tube was developed independently, and were used to collect the 12 kinds of CBs in the vapor state and aerosol state in the air. After elution with toluene solvent, portable GC-MS method was used for detection. Fast chromatographic column was used for separation, and then qualitatively analyzed with retention time and characteristics of the ions, and quantitative analyzed by standard curves. RESULTS: The quantitative determination ranges of the 12 kinds of CBs were 0.20-200.00 mg/L. All the correlative coefficients were greater than 0.998 3. All the minimum quantitative concentration was 0.01 mg/m~3, and all the minimum quantitative mass concentration was 0.04 mg/m~(3 )(15 L sample). The average elution efficiency was 88.97%-116.86%. The within-run and the between-run relative standard deviation was 10.15%-13.48% and 12.87%-19.66%, respectively. All the sampling efficiencies were>90.00%. CONCLUSION: The portable GC-MS technique could be used for rapid qualitative and quantitative detection of 12 kinds of CBs in workplace air.
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OBJECTIVE: To analyze the comparison results of volatile organic components in chemicals tested by occupational health laboratories.METHODS: A total of 37 reference laboratories that participated in the 2019 National Occupational Health Inspection and Testing Institution Laboratory Comparison Chemical Qualitative Testing Comparison organized by Guangdong Occupational Health Testing Center were selected as the research subjects. Headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used for the determination of volatile organic components in chemicals. The comparison results of reference laboratories were collected and implemented with qualitative and quantitative evaluation. RESULTS: The qualified rates of the qualitative results of the required hazard factors and other hazard factors in the reference laboratories were higher than those of the quantitative results of similar factors with statistical significance(83.78% vs 67.57%, 89.19% vs 56.76%, all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the qualified rate of qualitative and quantitative results and comprehensive judgment results among each reference laboratory with other hazard factors(83.78% vs 89.19%, 67.57% vs 56.76%, 83.78% vs 89.19%, all P>0.05). The qualified rate of 37 reference laboratories was 89.19%(33/37). It showed no significant difference in the qualified rate of qualitative, quantitative and comprehensive judgment results among the reference laboratories of disease prevention and control system and non-disease prevention and control system(93.75% vs 85.72%, 85.00% vs 61.91%, 93.75% vs 85.52%,all P>0.05). CONCLUSION: There are great differences in the detection ability of volatile organic components on chemicals of each reference laboratory. The ability of qualitative detection is superior to the quantitative detection.
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OBJECTIVE: To prepare and develop a GDH-2 air sampling tube for detecting 12 kinds of chlorobenzenes(CBs) in workplace air and to establish a matching detecting method. METHODS: The self-developed GDH-2 air sampling tube was filled with ion exchange resin and activated carbon, and the mass ratio was 10 ∶1. The GDH-2 air sampling tube was used to collect 12 kinds of CBs with coexistence of gaseous and aerosol in the air. After elution with toluene, they were separated on a chromatographic column and determined by microcell electron capture detector. RESULTS: The quantitative detecting range of the method was 0.51×10~(-3)-6 000.00 mg/L, with the correlation coefficients greater than 0.999 4. The minimum detection concentration was 0.02-61.99 μg/m~3, and the minimum quantitative concentration was 0.05-206.62 μg/m~3. The average desorption efficiency was 90.8%-104.0%. The within-run relative standard deviation(RSD) was 1.0%-5.7%, and the between-run RSD was 3.0%-7.3%. The samples can be stored at room temperature for at least 26 days. CONCLUSION: The self-developed GDH-2 air sampling tube and its matching measuring method can be used for the collection and determination of the 12 kinds of CBs in the air of workplace.
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OBJECTIVE: To establish a solvent desorption-gas chromatography method for determination of methyl pentane in workplace air. METHODS: Methyl pentane in workplace air was collected with activated carbon tube and desorbed with carbon disulfide, then separated by DB-1 capillary column, detected by flame ionization detector, and quantified by standard curve method. RESULTS: Good linearity was obtained in the range of 1.98-6 600.00 mg/L with the correlation coefficient of 0.999 9. The minimum detection limit and the minimum quantification limit were 0.06 and 0.20 mg/L, respectively. The minimum detection concentration and minimum quantification concentration was 0.04 and 0.14 mg/m~3, respectively(calculated by collecting 1.5 L of air sample). The average desorption efficiency was 97.3%-102.2%. The within-run relative standard deviation(RSD) and the between-run RSD were 0.4%-0.9% and 0.3%-3.0%, respectively. The sampling efficiency was 96.7%-100.0% and the penetration capacity was 8.68 mg. The samples can be stored at room temperature for at least 14 days. CONCLUSION: This method is suitable for methyl pentane detection in workplace air.
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OBJECTIVE: To explore a method for detecting volatile organic compounds(VOCs) in air by a portable gas chromatography-mass spectrometer(GC-MS). METHODS: A portable GC-MS hand-held probe was used for sampling and detection. All effluent components were qualitatively analyzed by the standard spectral library of the United State National Institute of Standards and Technology. The percentage of peak area of the component was calculated by normalization method. The static distribution method was adopted in the semi-quantitative and quantitative analysis using nitrogen as the diluting gas to prepare different mass concentration of 13 kinds of VOCs in the mixed standard gas. The retention time and characteristic ions were used for qualitative analysis, and the quantitated full scanning mode was used for quantitative analysis.RESULTS: The minimum detected mass concentration of the 13 chemical harmful factors was 0.02-0.10 mg/m~3, and the minimum quantitative mass concentration was 0.07-0.38 mg/m~3. The recovery rate was 84.76%-116.56%, and the within-and between-run relative standard deviations were 4.10%-12.50% and 8.17%-14.36%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The portable GC-MS instrument could be used for qualitative alalysis, peak area percentage determination, semi-quantitative and quantitative analysis of VOCs in the workplace air or sudden chemical poisoning accidents.
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OBJECTIVE: To establish the occupational exposure limit for trimethyltin chloride(TMT) in workplace air. METHODS:According to the GBZ/T 210.1-2008 Guide for Establishing Occupational Health Standards--Part 1: Occupational Exposure Limits for Airborne Chemicals in the Workplace, the relevant literatures on toxicology, population epidemiology and foreign occupational exposure limit of TMT were collected and analyzed. A total of 276 workers with TMT occupational exposure were selected as the exposure group and 25 workers without TMT occupational exposure were selected as the control group.Worksite survey of occupational health and occupational medical examination were carried out. Combined with the literature data, the occupational exposure limit of TMT in the workplace air was calculated by using the 90% medical reference level(internal exposure limit) of the urine TMT level of workers who exposed to TMT without moderate hypokalemia. RESULTS: The time-weighted average of TMT in the workplace air is 0.100 mg/m~3 and the short-term exposure limit is 0.200 mg/m~3 in the United States based on total organic tin. The highest concentration of TMT in the workplace air in Germany is 0.005 mg/m~3. The literature data analysis results showed that the incubation period of TMT poisoning is mostly 3-6 days, and the main symptoms of TMT poisoning are hypokalemia in the early stage, followed by neuropsychiatric symptoms such as headache, memory loss and aggressive behavior. The median(M) and the 0-100 th percentile(P_0-P_(100)) of exposure to TMT were 8.35(< 0.20-91.40) μg/m~3 in the exposure group. The individual TMT exposure level of workers in different positions from high to low were crushing, granulation, withdrawal and assembly positions. The M(P_0-P_(100)) of urinary TMT level in the exposure group was 16.94(<0.50-591.14) μg/L. There was a positive correlation between the individual TMT exposure level and urine TMT level in the exposure group(Spearman correlation coefficient=0.62, P<0.01). The detection rate of hypokalemia in the exposure group was higher than that in the control group(26.1% vs 4.0%, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the detection rate of moderate hypokalemia between the two groups(3.3% vs 0.0%, P>0.05). The 90% medical reference value of urine TMT was 89.90 μg/L in workers exposed to TMT without moderate hypokalemia. CONCLUSION: In order to prevent acute hypokalemia damage caused by TMT, we recommended that the occupational exposure limit of TMT in the workplace air should be set at 0.025 mg/m~3 in China, and this limit should be the maximum allowable concentration.
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OBJECTIVE: Determination of the urinary levels of 2.5-hexanedione (2,5-HD) was performed in subjects belonging to the Chinese general population to define the reference value for this metabolite. METHODS: Urine samples were collected from 8235 individuals (4216 men and 4019 women) from the healthy general population who had not been occupationally exposed to n-hexane or methyl-n-butyl ketone. The determination was performed by a gas chromatography mass spectrometry method using an ion-trap mass spectrometer. RESULTS: The result showed that the urinary 2,5-HD median level was 0.159mg/L for the total samples. Males had statistically significant higher excretion of 2,5-HD in urine than females (median 0.171mg/L compared to 0.147mg/L, Z=-8.21, P<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in urinary 2,5-HD levels among age groups. The excretion of 2,5-HD in urine was related to increasing age (r=-0.160, P<0.05). There was statistically significant difference in urinary 2,5-HD levels among people from difference provinces. The results showed that there was also a statistically significant effect in urinary 2,5-HD levels between current smokers and non-smokers. CONCLUSION: Finding a measurable amount of 2,5-HD in urine does not mean that the level of 2,5-HD causes an adverse health effect. Biomonitoring studies on levels of urinary 2,5-HD can provide physicians and public health officials with reference values so that they can determine whether people have been exposed to higher levels of 2,5-HD than are found in the Chinese general population. These data can also provide a foundation for scientists to make a plan for further study.
Subject(s)
Environmental Pollutants/urine , Hexanones/urine , Adolescent , Adult , Alcohol Drinking/urine , Asian People , Child , Environmental Monitoring , Female , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Smoking/urine , Young AdultABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The aim of this study was to investigate the association between urinary cadmium and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinicopathological characteristics of 240 patients with breast cancer were obtained and urine specimens were collected from October 2009 to July 2010. The concentration of urinary cadmium was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). χ(2) test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to analyze whether urinary cadmium is associated with clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median concentration of urine cadmium of 240 patients was 1.99 µg/g (25th percentile, 1.32 µg/g; 75th percentile, 2.88 µg/g). HER-2 positive rate, regional/distant metastasis rate, and advanced stage rate in patients with the highest tertile of cadmium concentration were significantly higher than those in the patients with second and lowest Cd tertiles (P = 0.042, P = 0.028 and P = 0.017, respectively), and 28.2% vs. 16.5% for HER-2 and 47.2% vs. 32.0% for regional/distant metastasis, respectively. There were still significant associations between urinary cadmium levels and these clinicopathological parameters after being adjusted in age by unconditional logistic regression model, respectively (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The results of this study suggest that urinary cadmium levels are associated with the HER-2 status, regional/distant metastasis status and stages of breast cancer, respectively. Cadmium may induce highly aggressive breast cancer in humans.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Age Factors , Breast Neoplasms , Metabolism , Pathology , Urine , Cadmium , Urine , Lymphatic Metastasis , Neoplasm Metastasis , Neoplasm Staging , Receptor, ErbB-2 , MetabolismABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the chromium (Cr) levels in blood and urine among general population in China between 2009 and 2010, and thereby to analyze its prevalent features.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From year 2009 to 2010, a total of 11 983 subjects of general population aged between 6 and 60 year-old were recruited from 24 districts in 8 provinces in eastern, central and western China mainland, by cluster random sampling method. The information about their living environment and health status were collected by questionnaire, and 11 983 blood samples and 11 853 urine samples were also collected. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to test the Cr level both in blood and urine; and the Cr distribution in blood and urine among groups of population in different ages, genders and districts, were then analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among general population in China, the geometric mean (GM) of Cr concentration in blood was 1.19 µg/L, with median at 1.74 µg /L and 95% percentile at 5.59 µg/L. The Cr concentration in blood among males and females were separately 1.18 µg/L and 1.20 µg/L(P > 0.05); while its GM in the groups of population aged 6 - 12, 12 - 16, 16 - 20, 20 - 30, 30 - 45 and 45 - 60 years old were 1.00, 1.22, 1.01, 1.40, 1.27 and 1.30 µg/L (P < 0.01), respectively; and the figures in populations from eastern, central and western China were 1.00, 1.70 and 1.98 µg/L (P < 0.01), respectively. Among general population, the GM of Cr concentration in urine was 0.53 µg/L, with median was lower than 0.42 µg/L and 95% percentile at 3.53 µg/L. The Cr concentration in urine among males and females were separately 0.52 µg/L and 0.53 µg/L (P > 0.05);while its GM in the groups of population aged 6 - 12, 12 - 16, 16 - 20, 20 - 30, 30 - 45 and 45 - 60 years old were 0.56, 0.60, 0.52, 0.50, 0.52 and 0.46 µg/L (P < 0.01), respectively;and the figures in populations from eastern, central and western China were 0.58, < 0.42 and 0.60 µg/L (P < 0.01), respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The study reported the Cr levels in blood and urine among general population in China, and thereby provided basic data evidence for the following Cr biological monitoring studies in near future.</p>
