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Mercapturic acids: recent advances in their determination by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and their use in toxicant metabolism studies and in occupational and environmental exposure studies |
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| Authors: | Patricia I. Mathias Clayton B’hymer |
| Affiliation: | 1. Division of Applied Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Biomonitoring and Health Assessment Branch, Robert a. Taft Laboratories, Cincinnati, OH, USA;2. Division of Applied Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Biomonitoring and Health Assessment Branch, Robert a. Taft Laboratories, Cincinnati, OH, USApmathias@cdc.gov;4. Division of Applied Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Biomonitoring and Health Assessment Branch, Robert a. Taft Laboratories, Cincinnati, OH, USA |
| Abstract: | This review describes recent selected HPLC/MS methods for the determination of urinary mercapturates that are useful as noninvasive biomarkers in characterizing human exposure to electrophilic industrial chemicals in occupational and environmental studies. High-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry is a sensitive and specific method for analysis of small molecules found in biological fluids. In this review, recent selected mercapturate quantification methods are summarized and specific cases are presented. The biological formation of mercapturates is introduced and their use as indicators of metabolic processing of reactive toxicants is discussed, as well as future trends and limitations in this area of research. |
| Keywords: | Internal exposure liquid chromatography mass spectrometry mercapturic acid toxicant metabolism urinary biomarker |