Chiral signatures of polychlorinated biphenyls in serum from e-waste workers and their correlation with hydroxylated metabolites. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ma, Shengtao; Ren, Guofa; Cui, Juntao; Lin, Meiqing; Wang, Jingzhi; Yuan, Jing; Yin, Wenjun; Peng, Ping'an; Yu, Zhiqiang
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 304(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: PCB -- Chiral signature -- Enantioselective enrichment -- Serum -- e-waste worker; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135212
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Elevated concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in environmental media and biota from typical e-waste dismantling sites have raised concerns regarding their human body burden and potential negative health effects. In the present study, the enantiomeric compositions of three typical chiral congeners (PCB-95, PCB-132, and PCB-149) were measured in 24 serum samples from e-waste workers by using gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry. The mean enantiomer fractions (EFs) of chiral congeners in serum from the workers were 0.655 ± 0.103, 0.679 ± 0.164, and 0.548 ± 0.095 for PCB-95, PCB-132, and PCB-149, respectively. The (+) enantiomers of PCB-95, PCB-132, and PCB-149 were enantioselectively enriched in serum. Significant positive correlations were observed between the EF of the chiral congener PCB-95 and the total concentration of OH-PCBs, suggesting that EF values of chiral PCBs could be used to indicate the extent of biological metabolism. In addition, the EF of PCB-95 in serum samples increased with increasing work duration of the e-waste workers, thus demonstrating the usefulness of EF values of chiral PCBs as tracers of human exposure to PCBs. Because of the enantioselective enrichment of (+) enantiomers of PCB-95, PCB-132, and PCB-149, further studies are needed to explore the metabolism and toxicity of chiral contaminants in humans. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Chiral signatures of PCBs in serum of e-waste workers were analyzed by GC-MS/MS. (+) enantiomers of PCB-95, -132 and −149 were enantioselectively enriched in serum. Enrichment of (+)PCB-95 positively correlated with concentrations of OH-PCBs. EF of PCB-95 in serum increased with increasing work duration of e-waste workers.