Characterization of hemoglobin adducts of 1,3-dinitrobenzene and 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene

1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) and 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB) are used primarily in explosive compositions and munitions and have been detected as environm ental contaminants of surface waters as well as ground waters near producti on waste disposal sites. Hemoglobin (Hb) adducts have recently been propose d as biological markers of exposure assessment for various environmental co mpounds, including nitroaromatics. In the present study, we have investigat ed the formation of DNB and TNB hemoglobin adducts in vivo and in vitro in the blood of shrew (Cryptotis parva). DNB and TNB hemoglobin adducts were d etected by GC/MS after either basic (0.1N NaOH) or acid (2N HCl) hydrolysis followed by organic solvent extraction and derivatization of the correspon ding amines. The levels of DNB-Hb adducts detected after basic hydrolysis ( 238.7 +/- 50.2 pg/mg Hb) are higher than the corresponding levels detected after acid hydrolysis (52.5 +/- 16.2 pg/mg Hb). For the TNB-Hb the levels a fter acid hydrolysis (132.2 +/- 37.8 pg/mg Hb) are higher than the levels d etected after basic hydrolysis (44.7 +/- 15.3 pg/mg Hb.) These results demo nstrate the effectiveness of the hemoglobin adduct model for monitoring exp osure to nitroaromatics.