Voltammetric studies on the potent carcinogen, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene: Adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination in bulk aqueous forms and human urine samples and detection of DNA interaction on pencil graphite electrode.

7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), is a widely studied polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that has long been recognized as a very potent carcinogen. Initially, the electrochemical oxidation of DMBA at the glassy carbon and pencil graphite electrodes in non-aqueous media (dimethylsulphoxide with lithium perchlorate) was studied by cyclic voltammetry. DMBA was irreversibly oxidized in two steps at high positive potentials, resulting in the ill-resolved formation of a couple with a reduction and re-oxidation wave at much lower potentials. Special attention was given to the use of adsorptive stripping voltammetry together with a medium exchange procedure on disposable pencil graphite electrode in aqueous solutions over the pH range of 3.0-9.0. The response was characterized with respect to pH of the supporting electrolyte, pre-concentration time and accumulation potential. Using square-wave stripping mode, the compound yielded a well-defined voltammetric response in acetate buffer, pH 4.8 at +1.15V (vs. Ag/AgCl) (a pre-concentration step being carried out at a fixed potential of +0.60V for 360s). The process could be used to determine DMBA concentrations in the range 2-10nM, with an extremely low detection limit of 0.194nM (49.7ngL(-1)). The applicability to assay of spiked human urine samples was also illustrated. Finally, the interaction of DMBA with fish sperm double-stranded DNA based on decreasing of the oxidation signal of adenine base was studied electrochemically by using differential pulse voltammetry with a pencil graphite electrode at the surface and also in solution. The favorable signal-to-noise characteristics of biosensor resulted in low detection limit (ca. 46nM) following a 300-s interaction. These results displayed that the electrochemical DNA-based biosensor could be used for the sensitive, rapid, simple and cost effective detection of DMBA-DNA interaction.

Biological monitoring for trimethylbenzene exposure: a human volunteer study and a practical example in the workplace.

This paper presents data from both a human volunteer study looking at exposure to 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (TMB) and an occupational hygiene study of a printing firm using screen wash containing technical grade TMB. The biomarkers measured were TMB in blood and breath, and urinary dimethylbenzoic acids (DMBAs). The volunteer (N = 4) study showed that TMB was rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream reaching a mean level of 0.85 micromol l(-1) during a 4 h exposure to 25 p.p.m. TMB. There was little decline 1 h post-exposure possibly indicating storage of TMB in adipose tissue. Breath TMB levels peaked within an hour of exposure commencing and averaged 137 nmol l(-1) during exposure. Elimination of TMB in breath was biphasic with an initial half-life of 60 min. Peak excretion of urinary DMBA occurred 4-8 h after the end of exposure and averaged 40 mmol mol(-1) creatinine. Elimination of DMBA in urine was biphasic with half-lives of 13 and 60 h indicating that accumulation of body burden throughout the working week is likely if exposure is repeated. The occupational hygiene study demonstrated an excellent correlation between personal air TMB levels and post-shift urinary DMBA levels (r = 0.997) collected on the third working day. The regression equation from this study indicates that 8 h exposure to 25 p.p.m. TMB would result in a urinary DMBA level of 206 mmol mol(-1) creatinine. All workers showed pre-shift levels of DMBA from exposure to TMB on previous days. Both urinary DMBA and breath TMB levels can be used as biomarkers of TMB exposure. Urine samples should be taken post-shift towards the end of the working week as significant body burden accumulation throughout the working week can be expected. Breath sampling is more suited to task or single-shift monitoring.

N,N-dimethylbenzylamine: occupational exposure, analysis and biological monitoring.

Dimethylbenzylamine (DMBA) is used in the production of epoxy resins. The aims of this study were to assess occupational exposure to DMBA and evaluate the usefulness of monitoring the urinary excretion of DMBA and DMBA metabolites as indicators of exposure to DMBA. A sensitive gas chromatographic method for analysis of DMBA in air and in urine has been developed. The detection limit for DMBA in air for a 60-l air sample collected in 10 ml absorption solution was 2 micrograms/m3 and in charcoal tubes, 0.3 micrograms/m3. The detection limit for DMBA in urine was 0.02 mg/l. Ten male workers manufacturing epoxy resin were monitored during a full shift in the working environment and urine samples were collected at the end of exposure. The mean exposure and the highest DMBA concentration observed in air were 18 micrograms/m3 (time-weighted average; range 3-48 micrograms/m3) and 91 micrograms/m3, respectively. The DMBA concentrations in the urine samples were below the detection limit. After reduction of the urine samples the DMBA concentrations (U-SumDMBA) ranged from 0.02 to 0.22 mg/l. There was significant correlation between the exposure to DMBA and the U-SumDMBA. This observation suggests that the U-SumDMBA in urine samples collected at the end of a shift is a useful indicator of occupational exposure to DMBA.

[Determination of dimethylbenzoic acid isomers in urine by gas chromatography]. / Oznaczanie izomerów kwasów dimetylobenzoesowych w moczu metoda chromatografii gazowej.

Trimethylobenzene (TMB) is a main ingredient of many organic solvents used in industry. In Farbasol (Polish trade name of the solvent) TMB occurs as a mixture of three isomers: pseudocumene (1, 2, 4-TMB) 30%; mesitylene (1, 3, 5-TMB) 15%; hemimellitene (1,2,3-TMB) 5%. As it is known in human organism, TMB is metabolized mainly to dimethylbenzoic (DMBA) and dimethylhippuric (DMHA) acids, and some authors suggest, that the acids excreted in urine can be biological indicators of exposure to TMB. This study was aimed at developing the method of determination of DMBA isomers in urine. Biological material was hydrolyzed with sodium hydroxide and next extracted with diethyl ether. DMBA concentration in urine was determined by gas chromatography using a variant of quantitative analysis with internal standard (5-methyl-2-isopropylphenol, thymol). Analytical parameters of the developed method of determination of DMBA isomers in urine such as linearity, precision, reproducibility, stability (192 days, when urine samples stored at-18 degrees C), detectability limit (400 micrograms/dm3) have been fully compatible with the requirements of biological monitoring. In order to confirm the presence of DMBA isomers in urine, four volunteers were exposed (8 hours) to Farbasol in toxicological chamber. The TMB concentration in the air, determined by means of gas chromatograph (HP 5890), amounted to 100 mg/m3 (MAC value in Poland). In urine samples collected 2,3-; 2,4-; 2,5-; 2,6-; 3,4-; 3,5-dimethylbenzoic acids were identified by means of GC/MSD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Urine recovery experiments with quercetin and other mutagens using the Ames test.

Recovery from urine of the mutagenic activity of 2-anthramine, cyclophosphamide, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, 6-chloro-9-((3-(2-chloroethylamino)-propyl)amino)-2-methoxyacridin e dihydrochloride (ICR-191), mitomycin-C, nitrofurantoin, and quercetin was studied with several of the Ames tester strains using acetone-extracted XAD-2 columns with yields ranging from 27% to 79%. Dose responses of the pure chemicals were also studied, and results showed TA 97 to be far more susceptible to quercetin mutagenesis than TA 1537. Reducing pour plate agar volume enhanced mutagenesis.

Percutaneous absorption of [7.10-14C]benzo[a]pyrene and [7,12-14C]dimethylbenz[a]anthracene in mice.

The percutaneous penetration, tissue distribution, and excretion of 14C-labeled benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) were studied in mice. Both BaP and DMBA rapidly penetrated the skin and were excreted more in the feces than in the urine. The proportion of BaP or DMBA absorbed was less with increasing applied dose due to apparent saturation of the uptake process. Uptake from the dorsal skin of the nose was similar to uptake from the dorsal nuchal skin.

[Metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha)anthracene in vivo]. / Izuchenie metabolizma 7,12-dimetilbenz(alpha)antratsena in vivo

The metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha) anthracene (DMBA) was studied, using labelled DMBA-H3, after intravenous injection of the carcinogen in female animals. The maximum excretion of the metabolites took place during the period ranging from 6 to 24 hours. The content of liposoluble metabolites in the urine was insignificant (about 6%), whereas in feces it was much higher (about 40%). Among the metabolites in feces the content of DMBA, 12-hydroxymethyl-7-methylbenz(alpha)anthracene and unidentified DMBA metabolite was significantly high. The content of 7-hydroxymethyl-12-methylbenz(alpha) anthracene fails to show any significant level.