Monitoring Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Metabolites in Human Urine: Extraction and Purification with a Sol-Gel Glass Immunosorbent

A new, rapid method for selective extraction of hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites (OH-PAHs) in human urine was developed using an immunosorbent of anti-pyrene antibodies which were encapsulated in a sol-gel glass (SGG) matrix. Resulting chromatograms after immunoextraction of urine samples and HPLC analysis of the extracts were free from matrix interferences. The LODs for the determination of OHPAHs in these difficult samples were in the low-ppt range (1-16 ng/L). In addition to its high selectivity, the immunosorbent proved to be robust and reusable. Obtained recoveries in spiked urine samples ranged from 83 to 107% for the hydroxyphenanthrene and hydroxypyrene compounds under investigation, while recovery for 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene was only 45-62%. In a biomonitoring study, the SGG immunosorbent was successfully used for trace-level analysis of OH-PAHs in 20 human urine samples. Results were compared to data obtained by an independent reference analysis method and revealed good correlation between both methods.