Organic Section
Emerging Contaminants

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The Organic Chemisry Department often collaborates in research designed to identify emerging contaminants that are of concern to environmental and human health. A few of those efforts are listed below.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers are a complex group of chemicals used predominantly by the flame retardant industry. The department has participated in research into the environmental prevalence of these compounds. Currently the department has the capability to test for PBDEs in sludge, serum, water, and wildlife tissues.

Hydroxylated Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Hydroxylated PCBs are biological metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that may give a better understanding about exposure to these chemicals. The Department currently tests for six such metabolites in serum. They are listed below:

Congener LOD LOQ ( BZ #) (µg/L) (µg/L) ------------ ------ ------ 4H107 0.30 0.99 4H146 0.34 1.10 3H138 
0.30 0.96 3H180 0.36 1.16 4H187 0.40 1.28 4H172 0.39 1.25 

Cyanotoxins: Microcystin-LR and Anatoxin-a

Cyanotoxins are toxic compounds produced by some types of freshwater cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Serious health effects to mammals may occur when these toxins are ingested at high concentrations. The WSLH is currently collaborating with University of Wisconsin researchers to determine the inactivation of these toxins during the drinking water treatment process. The WSLH can quantitatively analyze water samples for microcystin-LR by chemical and immunoassay techniques and can analyze for anatoxin-a qualitatively. With the purchase of a HPLC-MS-MS, the department hopes to expand our capabilities to include other toxins produced by cyanobacteria. More information on these and related efforts can be found on the Laboratory's Biomonitoring page.