Directly derivative extraction of mercury in human urine for the speciation analysis by GC/MS

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15374
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Hygiene and public health
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Nagao Masataka 広島大学, 医系科学研究科(医), 教授 (80227991)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 奈女良 昭 広島大学, 医歯薬保健学研究科(医), 准教授 (30284186)
• Research Collaborator: TAKEUCHI akito
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 産業衛生 / 中毒 / 分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our purpose in this study is to develop the high-throughput analysis methods for identification and quantitative analysis of mercury compounds (Hg) remained the chemical speciation in urine by gas chromatograph / mass spectrometer (GC / MS).
Since derivatization is necessary to analyze Hg in urine by GC / MS, ethylation and phenylation were examined by using sodium tetraethyl borate and sodium tetraphenyl borate. After adding 0.5 ml of buffer solution to urine, the derivatizing agent was added and extracted with 1-chlorobutane for analysis. Good linearity was confirmed in the range of 1 to 250 ng / ml of Hg concentration in urine, and the detection limit was 1 ng / ml. The inter-day variability for the urine spiked with 2.5, 25, 250 ng / ml of urinary inorganic Hg and MeHg was 0.97-2.75%. It is expected that the method developed in this research will have similar results in other laboratories, and it will be expected to contribute to industrial occupational health in the future.

Free Research Field

中毒学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでは無機水銀と有機水銀を別々の操作・機器で検出していたが、本法を使用することでGC/MSという一つの機器でかつ簡便な抽出法で化学形態別（無機水銀とメチル水銀）の分析が可能となった。本手法は、他施設での検証でも施設間誤差の少ない方法であることが確認され、今後の産業労働衛生に寄与することが期待される。