Quantitative determination of phenol and pyrocatechol in the whole blood by high performance liquid chromatography

Introduction. Phenol and its derivatives are widely distributed in the environment. To assess the risk of the negative impact of phenols on human health, data on their content in biological media are needed. Purpose of research. Development of a sensitive and selective method for the determination of phenol and catechol in the whole blood by HPLC. Materials and methods. The studies were carried out on a Shimadzu liquid chromatograph with an RF-20A fluorimetric detector. The efficiency of extraction of analytes from the matrix was checked by methods of liquid and solid phase extraction, QuEChERS. The metrological parameters of the measurement technique were experimentally established. Approbation of the method was carried out during the analysis of whole blood in children living in territories with various technogenic impacts. Results. The developed method makes it possible to determine phenol and catechol in whole blood at the level of 0.005–0.5 mg/dm3 with an error of ≤33%. The degree of extraction of phenol from whole blood by the QuEChERS method is 100%, pyrocatechol – 75%. A significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) average group content of phenol and pyrocatechol was established in the whole blood of children living in an ecologically loaded area compared to a conditionally clean area by 2.1 times. Limitations. The study of the content of phenol and pyrocatechol in the whole blood in the child population is limited by the number of territories and examined children. To establish the background content of phenol and catechol in the whole blood of the child population at the population level under conditions of environmental stress and outside the zone of anthropogenic influence, it is necessary to conduct more extensive studies in various territories covering a larger number of examined children. Conclusion. The developed method can be used in hygienic research to assess the risk of phenols exposure to the health of the child population living in areas with various anthropogenic pressure.