ABSTRACT
A fully automated multidimensional gas chromatographic system with thermal desorption injection and alkali flame detection was developed for analysis of the enantiomers of the nerve agent (+/-)-sarin. The chiral stationary phase was CP Cyclodex B on which the sarin enantiomers were completely resolved. The absolute detection limit was 2.5 pg per enantiomer. The method is intended to be used for the analysis of the sarin enantiomers in biological samples. For this purpose, sarin was isolated from guinea pig blood via solid-phase extraction. Deuterated sarin was used as internal standard. Stabilization of sarin in the blood sample by acidification and addition of an excess of a competitive organophosphorus compound (neopentyl sarin) appeared to be essential. The absolute recovery of the extraction procedure was 60%, whereas the recovery relative to the internal standard was 100%.
Subject(s)
Chemical Warfare Agents/analysis , Sarin/analysis , Chromatography, Gas , Humans , Sarin/blood , StereoisomerismABSTRACT
We report the first toxicokinetic studies of (+/-)-sarin. The toxicokinetics of the stereoisomers of this nerve agent were studied in anesthetized, atropinized, and restrained guinea pigs after intravenous bolus administration of a dose corresponding to 0.8 LD50 and after nose-only exposure to vapor concentrations yielding 0.4 and 0.8 LCt50 in an 8-min exposure time. During exposure the respiratory minute volume and frequency were monitored. Blood samples were taken for gas chromatographic analysis of the nerve agent stereoisomers and for measurement of the activity of blood acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In all experiments, the concentration of (+)-sarin was below the detection limit (<5 pg/ml). The concentration-time profile of the toxic isomer, i.e., (-)-sarin, after an intravenous bolus was adequately described with a two-exponential equation. (-)-Sarin is distributed ca. 10-fold faster than C(-)P(-)-soman, whereas its elimination proceeds almost 10-fold slower. During nose-only exposure to 0.4 and 0.8 LCt50 of (+/-)-sarin in 8 min, (-)-sarin appeared to be rapidly absorbed. The blood AChE activity decreased during the exposure period to ca. 15 and 70% of control activity, respectively. There were no effects on the respiratory parameters. A significant nonlinearity of the toxicokinetics with dose was observed for the respiratory experiments.
Subject(s)
Atropine/pharmacology , Chemical Warfare Agents/pharmacokinetics , Sarin/pharmacokinetics , Acetylcholinesterase/blood , Administration, Inhalation , Animals , Area Under Curve , Guinea Pigs , Injections, Intravenous , Male , Sarin/administration & dosage , Sarin/toxicity , StereoisomerismABSTRACT
The toxicokinetics of the four stereoisomers of the nerve agent C(+/-)P(+/-)-soman were studied in anesthetized, atropinized guinea pigs for nose-only exposure to soman vapor. During exposure the respiratory minute volume (RMV) and respiratory frequency (RF) were monitored. Blood samples were taken for chiral gas chromatographic analysis of the concentrations of nerve agent stereoisomers and for measurement of the progressive inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The animals were exposed for 4-8 min to 0.4-0.8 LCt50 of C(+/-)P(+/-)-soman. Concentrations of the P(-)-isomers increased rapidly during exposure, up to several nanograms per milliliter of blood. Mathematical equations describing the concentration-time courses of the P(-)-isomers were obtained by nonlinear regression. The kinetics were mathematically described as a discontinuous process, with a monoexponential equation for the exposure period and a two-exponential equation for the postexposure period. The absorption phase of C(+)P(-)-soman lagged behind that of the C(-)P(-)-isomer, presumably due to preferential covalent binding at as yet unidentified binding sites. The terminal half-life observed after nose-only exposure is longer than that observed after an equitoxic iv bolus administration, which suggests the presence of a depot in the upper respiratory tract from which absorption continues after termination of the exposure. Two types of nonlinearity of the toxicokinetics were observed, i.e., with dose and with exposure time. The AChE activity was rapidly inhibited during exposure to the nerve agent vapor. There were no soman-related effects on RMV and RF. The toxicokinetics of the soman stereoisomers observed for nose-only exposure are compared with those determined for iv bolus and sc administration.
Subject(s)
Chemical Warfare Agents/pharmacokinetics , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/pharmacokinetics , Respiration/drug effects , Soman/pharmacokinetics , Soman/toxicity , Absorption , Acetylcholinesterase/blood , Administration, Inhalation , Administration, Intranasal , Animals , Atmosphere Exposure Chambers , Chemical Warfare Agents/toxicity , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/administration & dosage , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/toxicity , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Guinea Pigs , Half-Life , Injections, Intravenous , Injections, Subcutaneous , Lethal Dose 50 , Male , Mathematics , Regression Analysis , Soman/administration & dosage , StereoisomerismABSTRACT
In order to initiate a quantitative basis for the toxicology of low level exposure to nerve agents, the toxicokinetics of soman stereoisomers during nose-only exposure for 5 h to 20 ppb (160 microg/m3) of C(+/-)P(+/-)-soman in air were studied in restrained, anesthetized, and atropinized guinea pigs. The concentrations of the toxic C(+/-)P(-)-soman stereoisomers in blood increased according to a biexponential function, after an initial lag time of ca. 30 min for C(+)P(-)-soman, with final concentrations
Subject(s)
Chemical Warfare Agents/toxicity , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/toxicity , Soman/toxicity , Administration, Inhalation , Animals , Atropine/pharmacology , Carboxylesterase , Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases/analysis , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/blood , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Erythrocytes/enzymology , Guinea Pigs , Male , Soman/blood , Stereoisomerism , Time FactorsABSTRACT
In order to provide a quantitative basis for pretreatment and therapy of intoxications with sulfur mustard (SM) the toxicokinetics of this agent as well as its major DNA-adduct were studied in male hairless guinea pigs for the intravenous, respiratory and percutaneous routes. The study comprised measurement of the concentration-time course of SM in blood and measurement of the concentrations of intact SM and its adduct to guanine in various tissues at several time points after administration of, or exposure to SM. SM was analyzed in blood and tissues by gas chromatography with automated thermodesorption injection and mass-spectrometric detection. DNA-adducts were measured via an immuno-slot-blot method. In contrast with nerve agents of the phosphofluoridate type, SM partitions strongly to various organs, especially the lung, spleen, liver and bone marrow. The respiratory toxicity of SM appears to be local, rather than systemic. Surprisingly, the maximum concentration of SM in blood upon percutaneous exposure to 1 LCt50 (10,000 mg.min.m-3, estimated) is approximately 6-fold higher than that for nose--only exposure to 3 LCt50 (2,400 mg.min.m-3). Pretreatment of hairless guinea pigs with the potential scavengers N-acetyl cysteine or cysteine isopropyl ester did not significantly increase the LCt50-value for nose--only exposure to SM vapor.
