The National Human Adipose Tissue Survey (NHATS), administered by EPA's Office of Toxic Substances (OTS), is an ongoing chemical monitoring network designed to detect levels and prevalences of toxic substances in the adipose tissue of the general U.S. population. Adipose specimens collected in fiscal year 1982 were analyzed as composites for volatile and semivolatile organic compounds via High resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HRGC/MS) as part of a previous effort. The data files were then processed using a method developed to automatically identify unknown HRGC/MS peaks. The method consisted of automatic identification of unknown spectra via comparisons to reference mass spectra, transfer of the results of the identification step to a microcomputer, compilation of the data into a spreadsheet program and generation of compound identification tables from the spreadsheet. Application of the method to the adipose data resulted in the identification of volatile compounds from 18 separate chemical classes and semivolatiles from 29 chemical classes. Compound classes included saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones, steroids, heterocyclic compounds, drugs, aliphatic and phthalate esters, phenols, halocarbons, and methyl-substituted organosiloxanes.

"June 30, 1987." "EPA-560/5-87-002A." "EPA Contract No. 68-02-4252."