Identification and quantitation method for nonylphenol and lower oligomer nonylphenol ethoxylates in fish tissues

Substantial research is currently focused on the toxicological effects of a lkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) and alkylphenols (APs) on aquatic animals. Co nsiderable data are available on the concentrations of APEs and APs in rive r systems in the United States; however, few if any data are available on t he tissue concentrations of fish living in these rivers. A reliable method for the analysis of nonylphenol (NP) and lower oligomer nonylphenol ethoxyl ates (NPE1-3) in fish tissues has been developed. Nonylphenol and NPE1-3 we re extracted from fish tissues using extractive steam distillation. Normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HLPC) was used as a cleanup s tep prior to analysis by.-as chromatography with mass selective detection ( GC/MSD) using selected ion monitoring. Optimization of this technique resul ted in consistent recoveries in excess of 70%, with the exception of NPE3 ( 17%). Method detection limits (MDLs) and limits of quantitation using the t echnique range from 3 to 20 and 5 to 29 ng/g wet weight, respectively. Nony lphenol and NPE1 were detected in subsamples (n = 6) of a single common car p captured in the Las Vegas Bay of Lake Mead (NV, USA) at average concentra tions of 184 +/- 4 ng/g and 242 +/- 9 wet weight, respectively. Nonylphenol ethoxylates(2&3) were not detected in the carp collected at Lake Mead.