Qualitative and quantitative analyses of phenol, phenylglucuronide, and phenylsulfate in urine and plasma by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Phenol and related compounds are toxic agents to which humans are exposed. Analysis of phenolic compounds may be used as an index of exposure. In this report a method for analysis of phenol, phenylglucuronide, phenylsulfate, and related mono- and dihydroxybenzenes as their propanoate esters by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is presented. The use of this derivatization technique increases the sensitivity of the analysis by improving chromatographic performance and introducing a traceable "reporter" group into the analyte. This method has also been adapted, by using selected ion monitoring (SIM), to the quantitative analysis of phenol.