f/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Health Effects Research
Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 2771 1
Research and Development
EPA-600/S1-81-024 Apr 1981
Project Summary
Method Development for the
Assessment of Possible
Human Exposure to
Pesticides and Industrial
Chemicals
Thomas R. Edgerton, Robert F. Moseman, and Lynn H. Wright
The determination of chlorinated
phenols in urine can be used as a
means for assessing exposure to pesti-
cides and industrial chemicals in the
human population.
A method was developed for the
analysis of chlorinated phenols which
involves the derivatization of metabo-
lites from the urine of rats fed hexa-
chlorobenzene (HCB) and pentachlo-
rophenol (PCP). This method was then
applied to urine samples taken from
the general human population to gain
a background level. Pentachloro-
phenol was detected in greater than
90% of the human samples analyzed.
The only other metabolites detected
were tetrachloropyrocatechol and
tetrachlorohydroquinone. The urine of
a worker occupationally exposed to
PCP exhibited quantifiable amounts
of tetrachloropyrocatechol and tetra-
chlorohydroquinone along with large
amounts (greater than 3 ppm) of PCP.
Pentachlorothiophenol, a major
metabolite of HCB fed to rats, was not
detected in human urine.
The analysis of human urine for
underivatized chlorinated phenols
using a direct gas chromatographic
method not requiring derivatization
detected quantifiable levels of 2,5-
dichloro-, 2,4,5-trichloro-, 2,3,4,6-
tetrachloro- and pentachlorophenol in
greater than 90% of the samples
examined. Approximately 50% of the
samples contained detectable levels
of 2,6- and 3,5-dichlorophenol and
2,4,6-trichlorophenol.
Introduction
Chlorinated phenols have been of
concern to the environmental scientist
for many years. Their toxicity to fish and
other aquatic life is well documented in
the literature The presence of chloro-
phenols in industrial effluents has been
widely demonstrated. Methodology was
developed to analyze for chlorinated
phenols in urine to assess possible
human exposure to chemicals known or
suspected to give these compounds as
metabolites.
The most widely used and studied
chlorinated phenol is pentachloro-
phenol (PCP). It has been used exten-
sively in the wood products industry as a
preservative and in agriculture as a
fungicide. A discussion of its uses,
toxicity, and fate in the environment can
be found in the literature. The occur-
rence of PCP in humans from occupa-
tionally exposed workers and the
general human population is also well
documented.
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Table 1 . Possible Origins
Metabolite
2, 6-dichlorophenol
2,4-dichlorophenol
2,3-dichlorophenol
2,5-dichlorophenol
3.4-dichlorophenol
3, 5-dichlorophenol
2. 3,4-trichlorophenol
2. 3, 5-trichlorophenol
2. 3, 6-trichlorophenol
2. 4,5-trichlorophenol
2. 4, 6-trichlorophenol
3, 4, 5-trichlorophenol
2, 3, 5, 6-tetrachlorophenol
2, 3, 4, 6-tetrachlorophenol
2. 3, 4,5-tetrachlorophenol
pentachlorophenol
of Various Chlorinated Phenols
Origin
Lindane
Lindane
VC-13
m-dichlorobenzene
2,4-D
Lindane
o-dichlorobenzene
Lindane
2,4, S-T
p - dichlorobenzene
Lindane
o-dichlorobenzene
Diuron
Lindane
PCP
Lindane
Lindane
PCP
Lindane
Lindane
Ronnel
Erbon
2,4,5-T
HCB
Tetrachlorvinphos
Lindane
Lindane
HCB
PCP (impurity)
Lindane
PCP
Lindane
HCB
PCP
Lindane
HCB
PCNB
Type Pesticide
Insecticide
Insecticide
Insecticide
Fumigant
Herbicide
Insecticide
Fumigant
Insecticide
Herbicide
Insecticide
Fumigant
Herbicide
Insecticide
Insecticide
Insecticide
Insecticide
Insecticide
Insecticide
Herbicide
Herbicide
Fungicide
Insecticide
Insecticide
Fungicide
Fungicide
Insecticide
Fungicide
Insecticide
Fungicide
Fungicide
Insecticide
Fungicide
Fungicide
The metabolism of PCP and other
chemicals which give rise to PCP and
other chlorinated phenols as metabo-
lites can be found in the literature. A
listing of possible sources of chlorinated
phenols is found in Table 1 . The list is by
no means complete, but does give some
insight nto possible origins of various
chlorinated phenols that might be en-
countered in exposure assessment
work.
Metabolism studies and analytical
methods development were conducted
using rats fed two chemicals, penta-
chlorophenol (PCP) and hexachloro-
benzene (HCB), which were known or
suspected to metabolize to chlorinated
phenols The method was then applied
to urine samples from the general
human population and the urine of a
worker occupationally exposed to
pentachlorophenol.
The literature contains no apparent
methodology for the determination of
lower chlorinated phenols in urine at
the low ng/g level. Because of this, a
method was developed in an attempt to
detect mono-, di-, and trichlorophenols
in urine. No metabolism studies were
performed, but the method was applied
to general human population urine
samples.
Conclusions
Pentachlorophenol, 2,5-dichloro-
phenol, 2, 4, 5-trichlorophenol and
2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol were found
in greater than 90% of the human urine
samples analyzed. Since all but one of
the samples was from the general
population, it is difficult to determine a
common exposure route. The urine of
workers occupationally exposed to
other chemicals which can give chlo-
rinated phenol metabolites and further
animal feeding studies need to be con-
ducted before definitive exposure
assessments can be made.
The determination of chlorinated
phenols in urine can possibly be used as
an index of exposure to numerous
chemicals.
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The EPA authors, Thomas R. Edgerton, Robert F. Moseman, and Lynn H.
Wright are with the Health Effects Research Laboratory, Research Triangle
Park, NC 27711.
Thomas R. Edgerton is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Method Development for the Assessment of
Possible Human Exposure to Pesticides and Industrial Chemicals," {Order No.
PB 81-175 796; Cost: $6.50. subject to change/ will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Health Effects Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
US GOVERNMENT PRINT!*! OFFICE 1M1-757-012/7046
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Center for Environmental Research '
United States
Env,ronmemal Protection Information Environmental
Agency Cmc.nnati OH 45268 Protection
Agency
EPA 335
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
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