title: Ultra-trace measurement of Dechloranes to investigate food as a route of human exposure.
abstract: Dechloranes, including Dechlorane Plus (syn- and anti-isomers), Dechlorane 602, Dechlorane 603, Dechlorane 604, Chlordene Plus, and Mirex are used as flame-retardants and were recently found in human serum of the European population. In order to investigate if food consumption would possibly be a significant route of exposure, we developed a method for the measurement of Dechloranes in food and feed. We showed that it was possible to extend the scope of the regular polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin like (DL-), and non-dioxin like (NDL-) regulated PCBs clean-up and fractionation procedure to Dechloranes and that no compound degradation occurred during the strong acidic treatments used for lipid digestion. Dechloranes were measured by gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-QQQMS/MS). We optimized injection parameters by face centered experimental design (FCD). The electron ionization fragmentation was investigated to set appropriate multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions. Instrumental and method limits of quantitation (iLOQs and mLOQs) were determined following EU guidelines for dioxin analyses in food. A total of 88 samples were analyzed to assess the prevalence of this route of exposure to humans. Average levels of the sum of Dechloranes ranged from 10 to 31pg/g fat, with the exception of fish, feed additives, and corn that were reported in pg/g wet weight at average levels of 9, 12, and 2pg/g ww. Based on Belgian food habits, a dietary intake was estimated to be 136pg/day. The relatively low reported levels indicate that other routes of human exposure should be considered.
authors: CART, Organic and Biological Analytical Chemistry Group, Chemistry Department, University of Liège, Allée de la Chimie 3, B6c Sart-Tilman, B-4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: L'Homme
authors: CART, Organic and Biological Analytical Chemistry Group, Chemistry Department, University of Liège, Allée de la Chimie 3, B6c Sart-Tilman, B-4000 Liège, Belgium; Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale, del Territorio, Edile e di Chimica, Politecnico di Bari, Via Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Calaprice
authors: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors: Cosima Damiana
authors: CD
authors: Calvano
authors: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca S.M.A.R.T., Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", c/o Dipartimento di Chimica, via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Zambonin
authors: Department of Pharmacy, Unit of Pharmaceutical and Food Chemistry and Technology, Via Brigata Salerno (ponte), University of Genoa, I-16147 Genoa, Italy.
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: Leardi
authors: CART, Organic and Biological Analytical Chemistry Group, Chemistry Department, University of Liège, Allée de la Chimie 3, B6c Sart-Tilman, B-4000 Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: JF.Focant@ulg.ac.be.
authors: Jean-François
authors: JF
authors: Focant
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004435:Eating; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005502:Food / Q000592:standards; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis*; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds; C556733:dechlorane 602; C556736:dechlorane 603; C556738:dechlorane 604; C526360:dechlorane plus
keywords: Dechloranes; Experimental design; Food analysis; Human intake; Triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry; Ultra-trace measurement