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Detection And Quantification Of Organophosphate Pesticides In Human Serum, Peter Kuklenyik

Chemistry Dissertations

The United States Environmental Agency permits the use of 39 organophosphate pesticides. Many of these pesticides are acutely toxic and have lasting effect on human health. Organophosphates quickly metabolize in the body, therefore currently human exposure is studied by measuring the metabolic products in urine. In this work a suite of analytical methods was developed to determine the presence of un-metabolized organophosphate pesticides in human serum. First mass spectroscopic detection methods were evaluated. Gas chromatograph coupled tandem mass spectrometer was used to compare the detection limits using chemical and electron impact ionization. Positive chemical ionization was selected, because it provided …