Quantitative determination of the 1,3-butadiene urinary metabolite 1,2-dihydroxybutyl mercapturic acid by high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry using polynomial calibration curves

1,3-Butadiene is used in the production of synthetic rubber and is also a widespread environmental pollutant, produced by car exhaust, heating and cigarette smoke. According to IARC it is probably carcinogenic to humans. A method was developed and validated for the quantification in human urine of 1,2-dihydroxybutyl mercapturic acid, a butadiene metabolite for which the American Conference of Governmental Hygienists suggests a biological exposure index of 2500 μg/L. Solid phase extraction was used for analyte extraction and HPLC–MS/MS for detection. The calibration range from 20 to 2500 μg/L required the use of polynomial calibration curves, and the performance of the analytical method was tested according to an international validation guideline. Accuracy was never less than 85%, precision always higher than 15% and the LOD 3.6 μg/L. The method was applied to 33 non-smokers, non-occupationally exposed to butadiene, and gave urinary concentrations between 16 and 599 μg/L.