Thin-Layer Chromatography of Mustard and Its Metabolites

摘要

Since its recently alleged use in the Middle East armed conflict, the chemical agent mustard has been in the news. Exposure to mustard causes extremely painful physiological manifestations. On entering the biological system, it is metabolized and converted into various products. This paper describes a rapid screening method for the identification of some of its common metabolites. Among the numerous chemical methods employed for the detection of HD, the method using 4-(p-nitrobenzyl) pyridine is the most sensitive. This reagent forms a blud-colored complex with HD in solution, the intensity of the color being proportional to HD concentration. Modern analytical techniques, such as thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry (MS), have been used to detect and quantitate HD. Pre-column derivatization has been employed in high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of TG. Paper chromatography has also been used to determine TDG. In connection with our work on the isolation, identification and quantitation of HD and its metabolites from the biological sources such as blood, plasma and urine, the development of a rapid screening method was considered desirable. Reprints. (aw)