A study on Determination Method of (N-2-hydroxy-ethyl)valine(HEV) in Hemoglobin Adducts for Biological Monitoring of Ethylene Oxide Exposure

Ethylene oxide is a genotoxic carcinogen with widespread uses as industrial chemical intermediate and gaseous sterilant. 2-hydroxyethylated N-terminal valine in Hb is a good biomarker for biological monitoring of ethylene oxide exposure, because of its stability. We studied the determination method of (N-2-hydroxy-ethyl)valine in hemoglobin adduct by using GC/MS. PFPITC and TBMS were used as appropriate derivatives. Ethylene oxide formed Hb adducts as (N-2-hydroxy-ethyl)valine(HEV) in mouse with ethylene oxide inhalation exposure. Standard HEV can be synthesized with 2-amino-ethanol and 2-bromo-3-methylbutyric acid. GC/MS can measured them after derivatization with pentafluorophenylisothiocianate(PFPITC) and N-(tertiary butyl dimethylsiiyl)-N-methyl-trifluoroacetamide(TBDMS-TFA) by using Edman procedure. Concentrations of Hb adduct were proportionally increased with exposure levels. They were 230${\pm}$35(nmol g$^{-1}$ globin) and 410${\pm}$72(nmol $g^{-1}$ globin) at 200ppm and 400ppm ethylene oxide inhalation exposure, respectively.