Development of novel methodology for the routine monitoring of monohydroxy metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in numerous urine samples

Abstract

Reducing the sample temperature offers several advantages to molecular luminescence (fluorescence and/or phosphorescence) spectroscopy. Analysis at cryogenic temperatures often improves spectral resolution, increases emission quantum yields and minimizes - or even eliminates - complications with oxygen quenching and energy transfer. Although spectral resolution improvement is almost always observed with lowering the temperature to 77 K or below, temperature effects on spectral narrowing are particularly noticeable in Shpol'skii spectroscopy. This technique combines the inherent sensitivity of fluorescence and phosphorescence with the selectivity of vibrationally resolved spectra. Unfortunately, the Shpol'skii phenomenon requires a specific guest-host combination that has confined Shpol'skii spectroscopy to the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are compatible with non-polar matrixes (n-alkanes). PAHs are important environmental pollutants of great environmental and toxicological importance.The end goal of this proposition is to generalize the methods of Shpol'skii spectroscopy to a variety of polar compounds by using polar solvents. Initial work is proposed here to investigate the Shpol'skii behavior of monohydroxy metabolites of PAHs (OH-PAHs) in frozen organic alcohols, provide a more general model for Shpol'skii spectroscopy and allow more widespread use of the methodology. Due to the short average elimination lifetime from the body, the quantitative determination of OH-PAHs in urine samples provides accurate information on recent environmental exposure to PAHs. Although chromatographic techniques provide adequate limits of detection for OH-PAHs in urine samples, their experimental procedures are time consuming and expensive. The research presented here will provide easy-to-use and cost-effective methodology well-suited methodology for data collection from statistically meaningful population sizes. (AU)