Method for extraction, isolation, and detection of free polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) from plasma, feces, milk, and bile using disposable glassware

Abstract

A rapid method was developed for the extraction, isolation, and detection of polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) from plasma, feces, milk, and bile, using disposable glassware. Use of disposable equipment greatly reduced the amount of laboratory background and cross-contamination of samples. The procedure employed a multiple extraction with a mixture of diethyl and petroleum ethers, followed by cleanup on miniature Florisil, silica gel, and sodium sulfate columns. Detection was accomplished by gas chromatography. Recoveries were determined for the six major components of a commercial PBB mixture and were approximately 96% for plasma, 59% for feces, and 98% for milk. The background levels for plasma, feces, and milk were 0.0005, 0.0007, and 0.0007 ppm, respectively, bringing the minimum detectable limits of the major hexabromobiphenyl peak to 0.0010, 0.0014, and 0.0014 ppm on a whole tissue basis.

Effects of PBBs on Cattle. III. Target Organ Modification as Shown by Renal Function and Liver Biochemistry

“…It seems likely that there was also a real elevation of total tissue microsome content, as suggested from P-450 content of microsomes alone. The ability of PBB to induce liver cytochrome P-450 is clearly illustrated in Figure 4, where the cytochrome P-450 content of liver microsomes is compared to the whole plasma PBB concentration of the treated heifers (19). The correlation coefficient was 0.91.…”

“…Jamieson and Ashton (20) describe the increased synthesis and secretion of a,-acid glycoprotein during liver inflammation. It is generally thought that the in situ tissue damage of inflammation causes increased hepatic synthesis of acute phase proteins (19). The role of elevated a,-acid glycoprotein in acute phase inflammatory responses is unknown, although from these results it appears that xenobiotics in toxic amounts may influence those aspects of the inflammatory responses mediated by the liver.…”

Effects of PBBs on cattle. IV. Distribution and clearance of components of firemaster BP-6.

“…The procedures used for the analysis of PBB in this laboratory have previously been reported in considerable detail (9,12). In experiments 1, 2, and 3 only the major hexabromobiphenyl (peak 3, Fig.…”

“…Presently, direct relationships between the amount of PBB fed and fecal concentration cannot be made. The animals given 25 g daily displayed toxic effects which included diarrhea, anorexia, and dehydration (12). Concentrations of PBB in samples of feces from these animals sometimes were greater than 40,000 ppm.…”

Polybrominated biphenyls in model and environmentally contaminated human blood: protein binding and immunotoxicological studies.

“…It has been estimated that 90% of the population of the State of Michigan now carries a body burden of PBB (2). Continued interest in PBB is justified by the potential of long-term and as yet undetected medical consequences, e.g., decreased developmental ability of children after neonatal exposure to PBB (3) and of PBB uptake due to the extremely slow excretion/metabolism of this class of compounds (4,5 Quantification by Selected Ion Monitoring Gas chromatography with electron capture detection (EC-GC) has been the primary analytical technique for the quantification of PBB in body fluids and fatty tissues in body burden studies (6)(7)(8). The concentration of PBB in serum is usually expressed in terms of the most abundant hexa isomer (2,2',4, 4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl, HxBB), and the detection limit for HxBB in serum by EC-GC is approximately 1 ng/mL (1 pbb); blood levels of this order have been reported in many Michigan subjects (9).…”