Levels of dioxin-like PCBs in low-volume serum samples of male patients attending fertility clinics.
An accurate and easy method for the extraction, cleanup, and HRGC-HRMS analysis of dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) in low-volume serum samples (1 mL) was developed. Serum samples were extracted several times using n-hexane and purified by acid washing. Recovery rates of labeled congeners ranged from 70 to 110% and the limits of detection were below 1 pg/g on lipid basis. Although human studies are limited and contradictory, several studies have shown that DL-PCBs can have adverse effects on the male reproductive system. In this way, the present method was applied to 21 serum samples of male patients attending fertility clinics. The total levels obtained for the patients ranged from 6.90 to 84.1 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid, with a mean value of 20.3 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid. The predominant PCBs (the sum of PCB 118, 156, and 105) contributed 67% to the mean concentration of total DL-PCBs in the samples analyzed.
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente s/n, P.O. Box 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain. julia.molto@ua.es.
Julia
J
Moltó
Biotechnology Department, University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente s/n, P.O. Box 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain.|University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente s/n, P.O. Box 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain.
Raiza
R
Paul
Chemical Engineering Department, University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente s/n, P.O. Box 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain.
Nuria
N
Ortuño
University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente s/n, P.O. Box 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain.|IVF Spain Treatment Clinic, Avenida de Ansaldo 13, 03540, Alicante, Spain.
María Llanos
ML
Medrano
University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente s/n, P.O. Box 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain.|IVF Spain Treatment Clinic, Avenida de Ansaldo 13, 03540, Alicante, Spain.
Jon
J
Aizpurua
Biotechnology Department, University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente s/n, P.O. Box 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain.|University of Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente s/n, P.O. Box 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain.
María José
MJ
Gómez-Torres
D000328:Adult; D004147:Dioxins; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D006586:Hexanes / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry
D004147:Dioxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006586:Hexanes; D012997:Solvents; C026385:n-hexane; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Analytical method; DL-PCBs; HRGC-HRMS; Human serum; Male infertility; Pollutants