Concentration-time profiles of the nerve agent VX and the pesticide parathion in five different cell culture plates.

Cell cultivation tools are usually not considered the primary factors influencing research results. In this study, we selected two organophosphorus compounds (OP) to examine possible compound absorption in five different commercially available cell culture plates. In addition, compound degradation processes were studied. The plates were exposed to the nerve agent VX or the OP pesticide parathion. Using analytical methods such as LC-ESI-MS/MS or GC-MS, the respective concentrations of VX and its degradation products O-ethyl methylphosphonic acid (EMPA) and S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl]methylphosphonothioic acid (EA-2192) as well as parathion, paraoxon, diethyl thiophosphate (DETP), and diethyl phosphate (DEP) were determined up to 72 h. Our data showed that the choice of the cell culture plate can have an impact on the OP concentration and the degradation products. The balance of VX, EMPA, and EA-2192 resulted in about the initial VX concentration at all evaluated time points, indicating that VX absorption was not likely to occur in the cell culture plates. In contrast, relevant parathion concentrations were unaccounted for after 72 h suggesting absorption to the plates. In conclusion, it was shown for the model substance parathion that it is important to characterize cell culture tools, i.e., the respective plates, regarding possible compound interaction. The suitability of the cell cultivation tool for investigations with an OP should be evaluated in advance to obtain a high quality of the study and to improve the concordance with in vivo data.