Human analytical problems associated

Reliable evaluation of the potential for human exposure to CDDs depends in part on the reliability of supporting analytical data from environmental samples and biological specimens. Historically, CDD analysis has been both complicated and expensive, and the analytical capabilities to conduct such analysis have been available through only a relatively few analytical laboratories. Limits of detection have improved greatly over the past decade with the use of high-resolution mass spectrometry, improvements in materials used in sample clean-up procedures, and with the use of known labeled and unlabeled chemical standards. Problems associated with chemical analysis procedures of CDDs in various media are discussed in greater detail in Chapter 6. In reviewing data on CDD levels monitored or estimated in the environment, it should be noted that the amount of the chemical identified analytically is not necessarily equivalent to the amount that is bioavailable (see Section 2.3) and that every measurement is accompanied with a certain analytical error. 

The analysis of gene differential expression is complicated by the potentially subtle differences associated with alterations in a single allele as well as by variations between individuals that arise from environmental or physiological factors. To circumvent these analytic problems, a method, named allele-specific differential expression analysis, was developed to compare the relative expression levels of two alleles of the same gene within the same cellular sample. The studies of allele-specific expression revealed that differential expression is relatively common in the human population. 

The identification of PCB residues in fish, wildlife, and human tissues has been reported since the 1970s (9—13,20—26). The results of these analytical studies led to the ultimate ban on further use and production of these compounds. The precise composition of PCB extracts from biota samples is highly variable and depends, in part, on the specific analyte and the commercial PCB preparations associated with a contaminated area (14). PCBs found in a composite human milk sample from Michigan (26) were highly complex, and the congener composition and their relative concentrations did not resemble any of the commercial PCB preparations. This fact raises obvious problems with regard to the ha2ard assessment of PCB mixtures (27). 

Many automated analytical instruments have been used to reheve laboratory technicians from routine work and thus increase their productivity. These instruments are well suited to hospital and factory laboratories, where the same analyses are performed every day. In more sophisticated laboratories, especially research laboratories, where the day-to-day analyses change, amore versatile instrument is needed. Robots in these laboratories will solve the problems arising from the non-versatility of automated instruments. The ability of a robot to do repetitious or dangerous work, with little or no external intervention, allows almost continuous generation of data and thus increases productivity, while decreasing the costs associated with having a human do the same work. 

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