1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (
DBCP) in an
amber-colored liquid that has been used as a soil fumigant for nematodes since 1957 in agricultural cropland. Formulations containing
DBCP have been primarily sold under the trademarks
Fumazone (Dow Chemical, Midland, MI, U.S.A.) and
Nemagon (Shell, THe Hague, The Netherlands). Recent reports have associated exposure to
DBCP with disruption of spermatogenesis and
azoospermia or
oligospermia in male workers. Tests on laboratory animals have indicated that
DBCP has an adverse effect on spermatogenesis and leads to testicular
atrophy. In support of
DBCP studies in animals, an analytical method was developed to determine low-level concentrations of
DBCP in whole blood. Previous analytical methods for
DBCP in blood required extensive sample preparation and
steam distillation which limits the number of analysis per time period. This paper describes a simple gas chromatographic-electron-capture detection (GC-ECD) method that is both specific and sensitive to
DBCP blood levels at concentrations as low as 2.28 x 10(-1) ng/ml
DBCP. In addition, a quantitative analytical method was developed to measure levels of
DBCP in
drinking water which parallels the method in blood.