PFAS emissions from functional textiles using micro-chamber and thermal desorption coupled to two-dimensional gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (TD-GC×GC-TOF MS).

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in the polymeric form, have been used extensively in functional textiles, including firefighter's turnout gear (e.g., jackets and pants), where PFAS are applied to confer oil and water resistance.

Use of silicone wristbands to measure firefighters' exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during live fire training.

Firefighters experience exposures to carcinogenic and mutagenic substances, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Silicone wristbands (SWBs) have been used as passive samplers to assess firefighters' exposures over the course of a shift but their utility in measuring short term exposures, source of exposure, and correlations with other measurements of exposure have not yet been investigated. In this study, SWBs were used to measure the concentrations of 16 priority PAHs inside and outside of firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE) while firefighting.

Effectiveness of dermal cleaning interventions for reducing firefighters' exposures to PAHs and genotoxins.

Firefighters are exposed to carcinogenic and mutagenic combustion emissions, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Fire service and firefighter cancer advocacy groups recommend skin cleaning using wipes or washing with detergent and water after exposure to smoke, although these strategies have not been proven to reduce exposures to harmful combustion products such as PAHs. This study assessed dermal decontamination methods to reduce PAH exposures by firefighters participating in live fire training scenarios.

Estimation of toluene exposure in air from BMA (S-benzylmercapturic acid) urinary measures using a reverse dosimetry approach based on physiologically pharmacokinetic modeling.

This study aimed to use a reverse dosimetry PBPK modeling approach to estimate toluene atmospheric exposure from urinary measurements of S-benzylmercapturic acid (BMA) in a small group of individuals and to evaluate the uncertainty associated to urinary spot-sampling compared to 24-h collected urine samples. Each exposure assessment technique was developed namely to estimate toluene air exposure from BMA measurements in 24-h urine samples (24-h-BMA) and from distributions of daily urinary BMA spot measurements (DUBSM). Model physiological parameters were described based upon age, weight, size and sex.

Challenges associated with quantification of selected urinary biomarkers of exposure to tobacco products.

Tobacco use, of which cigarette smoking is the most common, is a global health concern and is directly linked to over 7 million premature deaths annually. Measurement of the levels of tobacco-related biomarkers in biological matrices reflects human exposure to the chemicals in tobacco products. Nicotine, nicotine metabolites, anatabine, and anabasine are specific to tobacco and nicotine containing products.

The influence of precursors and treatment process on the formation of Iodo-THMs in Canadian drinking water.

The National Survey of Disinfection By-Products and Selected Emerging Contaminants investigated the formation of various disinfection by-products and contaminants in 65 water treatment systems (WTSs) across Canada. Results for six iodo-trihalomethanes (iodo-THMs) are reported in this paper. The participating water treatment systems included large, medium and small systems using water sources and treatment processes which were representative of Canadian drinking water.

Incorporating Aptamers in the Multiple Analyte Profiling Assays (xMAP): Detection of C-Reactive Protein.

Aptamers are short oligonucleotide sequences used in detection systems because of their high affinity binding to a variety of macromolecules. With the introduction of aptamers over 25 years ago came the exploration of their use in many different applications as a substitute for antibodies. Aptamers have several advantages; they are easy to synthesize, can bind to analytes for which it is difficult to obtain antibodies, and in some cases bind better than antibodies.

Evaluation and modeling of the impact of coexposures to VOC mixtures on urinary biomarkers.

Context: Urinary biomarkers are widely used among biomonitoring studies because of their ease of collection and nonintrusiveness. Chloroform and TEX (i.e.

Analysis of In Vitro Aptamer Selection Parameters.

Nucleic acid aptamers are novel molecular recognition tools that offer many advantages compared to their antibody and peptide-based counterparts. However, challenges associated with in vitro selection, characterization, and validation have limited their wide-spread use in the fields of diagnostics and therapeutics. Here, we extracted detailed information about aptamer selection experiments housed in the Aptamer Base, spanning over two decades, to perform the first parameter analysis of conditions used to identify and isolate aptamers de novo.

A method for quantification of volatile organic compounds in blood by SPME-GC-MS/MS with broader application: From non-occupational exposure population to exposure studies.

Humans are continuously exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as these chemicals are ubiquitously present in most indoor and outdoor environments. In order to assess recent exposure to VOCs for population-based studies, VOCs are measured in the blood of participants. This work describes an improved method to detect 12 VOCs by head-space solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography coupled with isotope-dilution mass spectrometry in selected reaction monitoring mode (SPME-GC-MS/MS).

Development of a bead-based aptamer/antibody detection system for C-reactive protein.

A multiplexing bead-based platform provides an approach for the development of assays targeting specific analytes for biomonitoring and biosensing applications. Multi-Analyte Profiling (xMAP) assays typically employ a sandwich-type format using antibodies for the capture and detection of analytes of interest, and the system permits the simultaneous quantitation of multiple targets. In this study, an aptamer/antibody assay for the detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) was developed.

Application of pressure-assisted electrokinetic injection-tandem mass spectrometry in the determination of perchlorate in water and soil samples.

A new method for the determination of perchlorate in water and soil samples using on-line enrichment in a capillary zone electrophoresis-mass spectrometry is presented. The target analytes in the sample solutions were introduced into the capillary column by pressure-assisted electrokinetic injection (PAEKI) with the simultaneous application of -18 kV and +50 mbar external pressure to the sample vial at the capillary inlet for 4 min. The injected sample zone was flushed out with a running buffer and analyzed by a tandem mass spectrometer in a negative selected reaction monitoring mode.

Pressure-assisted electrokinetic injection for on-line enrichment in capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry: a sensitive method for measurement of ten haloacetic acids in drinking water.

Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are by-products of the chlorination of drinking water containing natural organic matter and bromide. A simple and sensitive method has been developed for determination of ten HAAs in drinking water. The pressure-assisted electrokinetic injection (PAEKI), an on-line enrichment technique, was employed to introduce the sample into a capillary electrophoresis (CE)-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry system (ESI-MS/MS).

Microcystin accumulation in liver and muscle of tilapia in two large Brazilian hydroelectric reservoirs.

The objective of this study was to measure levels of the toxin microcystin in different tissues of fish known to feed on cyanobacteria during toxic bloom events. Wild Nile and redbreast tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus and Tilapia rendalli) were sampled from the catch of artisanal fishermen at eutrophic stations of Funil and Furnas reservoirs in southeastern Brazil. Phytoplankton communities in the two reservoirs were quite different taxonomically, but not dissimilar in microcystin content (200 microg g dry weight (DW) seston(-1) at Funil, 800 microg gDW seston(-1) at Furnas).

Sampling and analysis of microcystins: Implications for the development of standardized methods.

Microcystins (MC), a group of cyanotoxins, have been found in lakes and rivers worldwide. One goal of MC research is to develop models which predict MC concentrations, but these efforts have been hampered by a lack of standardized methods necessary for comparing data across studies. Here, we investigate the effect of chemical analysis (HPLC-PDA and ELISA), sample collection (whole water, plankton tow and surface scum), and choice of normalizing parameter (volume, dry weight, and chlorophyll a) on reported MC concentrations.

Capillary electrophoresis determinative and GC-MS confirmatory method for water-soluble organic acids in airborne particulate matter and vehicle emission.

Urban fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) and vehicle emission samples were studied for water-soluble low-molecular-weight carboxylic acids using CE with indirect UV detection. Further identification of these acids was achieved using GC-MS as their butyl esters (after derivatization with BF3/butanol).

Pressurized liquid extraction of toxins from cyanobacterial cells.

The suitability of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) of cyanotoxins from cells was investigated. The stability of cyanotoxins (MCYST-RR, MCYST-LR, and anatoxin-a) was evaluated at nine combinations of pressure and temperature (7, 10, and 14 MPa and 60 degrees C, 80 degrees C and 100 degrees C) using 75% (v/v) methanol in water (MeOH) as solvent. Additional experiments investigated the stability of cyanotoxins when water was used as solvent (at a pressure of 14 MPa and a temperature of 40 degrees C, 50 degrees C, 60 degrees C, 80 degrees C, or 100 degrees C).

Allelopathic effects of the toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa on duckweed, Lemna gibba L.

Cyanotoxins are a group of compounds produced by cyanobacteria that can have severe physiological effects on other organisms, including humans. The potential allelopathic effects of Microcystis aeruginosa, a toxic cyanobacterium, on the duckweed plant, Lemna gibba L., were examined using three experimental methods: (1) a series of toxicity bioassays, (2) evaluation of toxin production by M.

Extraction of 15 microcystins and nodularin using immunoaffinity columns.

Microcystins (MCYSTs) were isolated from surface water using reusable immunoaffinity columns. Individual MCYST were determined by high performance liquid chromatography equipped with a photo-diode array detector (HPLC-PDA, 200-300 nm). Subsequent analysis of the samples by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESMS) provided molecular weight information, which was used to tentatively identify individual MCYST variants for which standards were not available.

Development and validation of capillary electrophoresis for the determination of selected metal ions in airborne particulate matter after sequential extraction.

A capillary electrophoresis (CE) method has been developed and validated for the determination of the distribution of metals in particulate matter after three-stage sequential extraction. Fe(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), Mn(II), and Cd(II) ions were separated using a background electrolyte consisting of 200 mmol L(-1) ammonium acetate (pH 5.5), 0.