Lars Renberg

C18 reversed-phase trace enrichment of chlorinated phenols, guaiacols and catechols in water

Abstract Reversed-phase adsorption with octadecyl-modified silica gel was found to give quantitative recoveries of di-, tri-, tetra- and pentachlorophenol, tri- and tetrachloroguaiacol and tri- and tetrachlorocatechol from water. After desorption with acetone the chlorophenolic compounds were determined as their acetyl derivatives, using quartz capillary column gas chromatography. Different aqueous acetylation methods were compared, the highest yields being obtained with potassium carbonate solution. The procedure described has been applied to natural and industrial waste waters.

Further studies on impurities in chlorophenols

Abstract Impurities in three chlorinated phenol formulations manufactured from phenol by direct chlorination were investigated. The impurities were separated by means of gas and thin-layer chromatography and analyzed with a combined gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. The main impurities (1–5%) were chlorinated 2-hydroxydiphenyl ethers (predioxins), precursors to chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and 4-hydroxydiphenyl ethers (isopredioxins). Further impurities, such as chlorinated dihydroxybiphenyls, chlorinated diphenyl ethers and chlorinated dibenzofurans, were identified. The levels of chlorinated dibenzofurans were high (10–100 ppm) in relation to their toxicity.

Disturbance of microsomal detoxication mechanisms in liver by chlorophenol pesticides

The pesticide pentachlorophenol known as an uncoupler of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was shown to disturb liver microsomal detoxication functions by a selective inhibition of the terminal oxygenation enzyme P-450. At lower concentrations the flavin moiety of this enzyme chain is not inhibited but rather is stimulated, whereby a qualitative shift in detoxication of aromatic amines from C-oxygenation to N-oxygenation is obtained. The effects were due to the pentachlorophenol itself and not to a metabolite. Similar effects of varying strength were also obtained with other chlorophenol pesticides; 2,4,di-, 2,4,6,-tri and 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, di- and hexachlorophen, tri- and nonachloro-2-hydroxydiphenyl ethers. The relevance of these findings to the possible synergistic influence of chlorophenols on the carcinogenic effects of polyaromatic amines and hydrocarbons is discussed.

Chlorinated guaiacols and catechols bioaccumulation potential in bleaks (Alburnus alburnus, Pisces) and reproductive and toxic effects on the har-pacticoid Nitocra spinipes (Crustacea)

Abstract The bioaccumulation potential in bleaks ( Alburnus alburnus , Pisces) and acute toxic and reproductive effects on Nitocra spinipes (Crustacea), of 4,5,6-trichloroguaiacol (I), tetrachloroguaiacol (II) and tetrachlorocatechol (III) was investigated. Continuous flow tests with I and II (10 μg/l) gave a rapid bi-phasic uptake in the fish with I and II reaching a level of 4 μg/g fresh weight after 14 d. An equally rapid excretion was determined with the detection limit of I and II being reached after 10 days in pure water. The 96-h LC50 values for I, II and III to N. spinipes was determined to 5.2, 3.9 and 3.3 mg/l, respectively, in static tests. The fecundity of N. spinipes was reduced to 50 % of the control values at 37±6 and 54±4 μ g/l (II) per liter in static and continuous flow tests, respectively.

Determination of trihalomethanes (THM) in water using high efficiency solvent extraction

Abstract A rapid solvent extraction method for gas chromatographic determination of trihalomethanes in water has been developed. The analytical results were shown to be dependent on storage time of water samples and different preservation techniques were investigated. The method has been applied to different types of water samples including drinking water and industrial waste water. Among 107 drinking water samples investigated, 90% contained 0.2–25 μ g 1 −1 trihalomethanes.

Gas chromatographic determination of phenolic compounds in water, as their pentafluorobenzoyl derivatives

Abstract A sensitive gas chromatographic method for the determination of phenolic compounds in water samples has been developed. The phenols are converted by means of pentafluorobenzoyl chloride to the corresponding acyl derivatives. The procedure, specific for phenolic compounds, is compared with pentafluorobenzylation and was found to be faster and simpler. The method has been applied to industrial waste water.

Partition coefficients of organic chemicals derived from reversed phase thin layer chromatography: Evaluation of methods and application on phosphate esters, polychlorinated paraffins and some PCB-substitutes

Abstract The application of reversed phase high performance thin layer chromatography has been evaluated for determination of octanol-water partition coefficients (P oct ) of organic chemicals. Best correlations between log P oct and R M -values were obtained on a C 18 -bonded stationary phase using acetone-water or acetonitrile-water mixtures as eluting solvent. The latter mixture is preferred in work with high pressure liquid chromatography. A number of aryl and alkyl/aryl phosphate esters, polychlorinated paraffins and chemicals suggested as PCB-substitutes were chromatographed and the corresponding log P oct -values calculated. Values for the phosphate esters corresponded reasonably well with previously reported data while data for other, often more complex compound mixtures ( eg PCB-substitutes), need further evaluation. The use of the chromatographic system for screening purposes in work on environmentally significant data of possible organic pollutants is discussed.

Distribution and cytogenetic test of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T phenoxyacetic acids in mouse blood tissues.

The phenoxyacetic acids 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), extensively used as herbicides, were tested for cytogenetic effects by means of induced micronuclei in erythrocytes of mouse bone marrow. Because of the hig experimental resolution power this is a particularly suitable test system for the detection of weak chromosome breaking activity in mammals. The cytogenetic tests were supplemented with chemical analyses of the concentration the the test substances reaching the target cells...

Polychlorinated terphenyls (PCT) in Swedish white-tailed eagles and in grey seals a preliminary study

Polychlorinated terphenyls (PCT) are industrial chemicals claimed to be used for the same purposes as the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), known as ubiquitous pollutants. The PCT have been detected in environmental samples such as Canadian I 2-4 herring gulls, wildlife samples from western Europe and in Japanese human 5-9 blood and fat. In the human blood samples the PCT levels were found to be higher than those of PCB although there was a smaller industrial output of PCT (2-3 000 tons) in Japan than of PCB (58 000 tons) shortly before the year of 8 sampling, 1974.

Subcellular distribution, a factor in risk evaluation of pentachlorophenol.

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a potent uncoupler of mitochondrial phosphorylation in vitro and also interferes with microsomal detoxication functions in vitro. This favours flavin mediated oxygenation compared with flavin cytochrome P-450 dependent reactions. Gas chromatographic analysis of subcellular fractions, obtained by zonal centrifugation showed markedly lower PCP concentration in mitochondria and a high accumulation in microsomes compared with cytosol. This increases the likelihood that PCP in vivo causes a malfunction in microsomal detoxication.