Biomonitoring of arylamines: hemoglobin adducts of urea and carbamate pesticides.

Hemoglobin adducts of aromatic amines released from pesticides were investigated. Female Wistar rats were dosed orally with pesticides up to 1 mmol/kg body weight. Blood was obtained after 24 h, hemoglobin isolated and hydrolyzed in 1 NaOH. The amines were extracted and quantified by gas chromatography with nitrogen-specific or mass-selective detection. The following binding indices [HBI, hemoglobin binding index = binding (mmol/mol Hb) per dose (mmol/kg)] were obtained: pesticide (arylamine): linuron, diuron (3,4-dichloroaniline) 0.8 and 4.5 respectively; monuron, monolinuron (4-chloroaniline) 39 and 55 respectively; chlorpropham (3-chloroaniline) 2.9; chlordimeform (4-chloro-o-toluidine) 2.4; propham (aniline) 2.4. With vinclozoline and iprodione (3,5-dichloroaniline) and quintozene (pentachloroaniline) no adducts could be found. The results demonstrate the possible use of arylamine-hemoglobin adducts for measuring the bioavailability of potentially hazardous components of pesticides and the extent to which they are formed and metabolically activated.