Highly Sensitive Analysis of Estradiols Using NCI-GC/MS

Introduction

17β-estradiol is a female hormone listed as an endocrine disruptor by Japanese Environment Agency. The 17β-estradiol in rivers and other water areas are determined using the ELISA method or the GC/MS (EI) method the ELISA method achieves high sensitivity, but it is suggested that the analysis can be affected by foreign substances. The GC/MS method is not capable of detecting trace concentrations (ppt or lower level) of 17β-estradiol. The procedure manuals for inspecting mandatory monitoring items for water environmental preservation issued in December 1999 by the Japanese Water Quality Bureau of Environment Agency includes 17β- estradiol as an substance to be monitored. The manual prescribes two derivatization methods; (1) the methyl derivatization and (2) the pentafluorobenzyl (PFB) derivatization methods. This Application News introduces the PFB derivatization method. The PFB derivatization method derivatizes estradiols into compounds detectable by negative ion chemical ionization (NCI). This increases both the sensitivity and selectivity, and satisfies the minimum detection limits for water quality samples (0.1μg/L), and for sediments and biological samples (0.01μg/kg). Thus the PFB derivatization method is attracting attention as a new analysis method that achieves analyses with extremely high sensitivity.

August 26, 2004 GMT