High-pressure liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of sorbic acid in urine: verification of formation of trans,trans-muconic acid

Chem Biol Interact. 2005 May 30:153-154:243-6. doi: 10.1016/j.cbi.2005.03.029. Epub 2005 Apr 26.

Abstract

An LC-MS method is described for the determination of urinary sorbic acid (SA), a common food additive, which allows to measure down to 4 microg/L of the compound. The method involves an acidic hydrolysis followed by solid-phase extraction. The method was applied to two volunteers who ingested SA and to 36 individuals with no dietary restriction. The results confirm that a little aliquot of ingested SA is found in urine also in humans. The significant correlation found between urinary levels of SA and trans,trans-muconic acid (MA) seems to indicate that the measurement of SA in urine could allow to estimate the amount of MA excreted following a dietary intake of SA and, consequently, to enhance the specificity of MA as a biomarker of benzene exposure. A point of clarification in future studies will be the actual chemical form of SA excreted, since our results clearly demonstrate that without hydrolysis only a very little amount of SA can be found even in subjects heavily exposed to SA.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants
  • Benzene*
  • Biomarkers
  • Carcinogens, Environmental
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Environmental Exposure*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Humans
  • Sorbic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Sorbic Acid / analysis*
  • Sorbic Acid / metabolism
  • Sorbic Acid / pharmacokinetics
  • Urinalysis / methods

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Biomarkers
  • Carcinogens, Environmental
  • muconic acid
  • Benzene
  • Sorbic Acid