Determination of six benzene series in blood with purge-trapping/GC/MS and isotope internal standards series process

  Objective   To establish an analytical method for the determination of 6 benzene series in whole blood.

  Methods   Benzene series compounds in whole blood were concentrated with purge and trap method and then 6 benzene series were measured quantitatively using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with isotope internal standard process.

  Results   Benzene, methylbenzene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene p-xylene, and o-xylene in whole blood samples were concentrated and measured simultaneously after optimization of purge and trap parameters. For the method established, the detection limit was 0.002 – 0.011 μg/L; the linear range was 0.043 – 10.99 μg/L, and the recovery rates were 72.78% – 81.03% and 82.27% – 109.09% for low and high concentration samples. The relative standard deviation (RSD) ranged between 3.47% – 7.36% for 6 repeated determinations of the same sample.

  Conclusion   The established method is easy to operate and of short duration, good separation, and desirable accuracy and precision for simultaneous determination of 6 benzene series in whole blood.