Determination of Pentachlorophenol in Blood, Urine, Tissue, and Clothing

Abstract

Abstract An epidemic with two deaths occurred in a nursery in St. Louis after the use of pentachlorophenol as a mildew preventive with the laundry detergent. Samples of blood, urine, tissue, and clothing from the nursery were extracted with ethyl ether. The ether solution was extracted with 5% sodium hydroxide; the basic solution was acidified and then extracted with benzene. The benzene solution was analyzed by electron capture gas chromatography, using a 3% diethylene glycol succinate column with 2% sirupy phosphoric acid on 60-80 mesh Chromosorb G. Pentachlorophenol was found in the samples in sufficient quantity to account for the epidemic. The presence of pentachlorophenol was confirmed by gas chromatogrifplryrmass spectroscopy and by thin layer analysis.