Analysis of 1,1'-sulphonylbis[2-(methylsulphinyl)ethane] and 1-methylsulphinyl-2-[2-(methylthio)ethylsulphonyl]ethane, metabolites of sulphur mustard, in urine using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
A method has been developed for the detection of 1,1'-sulphonylbis[2-(methylsulphinyl)ethane] and 1-methylsulphinyl-2-[2-(methylthio)ethylsulphonyl]ethane, which have been identified as urinary metabolites of sulphur mustard in the rat. The two metabolites were reduced to the single analyte 1,1'-sulphonylbis[2-(methylthio)ethane] by treatment of urine with acidic titanium trichloride. 1,1'-Sulphonylbis[2-(methylthio)ethane] was readily extracted from urine by passing through a C8 reversed-phase extraction column, or by solvent extraction from a solid absorbent tube, and detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using ammonia positive ion chemical ionisation. The limit of detection was 2 ng/ml for 1-ml samples of urine. There were no background levels of analyte in human or rat urine. If man metabolises sulphur mustard by a similar pathway, the detection of these metabolites should constitute firm evidence of an exposure to sulphur mustard.
Black
R M
RM
Chemical Defence Establishment, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.
Clarke
R J
RJ
Read
R W
RW
D000818:Animals; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013440:Sulfides / Q000652:urine*; D013450:Sulfones / Q000652:urine*; D013454:Sulfoxides / Q000652:urine*
D013440:Sulfides; D013450:Sulfones; D013454:Sulfoxides; C073452:1,1'-sulfonylbis(2-(methylsulfinyl)ethane); C073451:1-methylsulfinyl-2-(2-(methylthio)ethylsulfonyl)ethane; D009151:Mustard Gas