UHPLC Separation and detection of Bisphenol A (BPA) in Plastics

Experimental

Using UHPLC, BPA was extracted from children toys and analysed. Two different extraction technique was carried out which portrayed situations in which children might come in contact with BPA. 3 different samples (cube, die, and dwarf), 30g each were used for the separation. For the first method, the samples were submerged separately in 1L of water at 40 ˚C for 24 hours. The second method involved the samples being submerged separately in 1L HCL (0.07M) at 37˚C for 2 hours. Using a PerkinElmer Flexar™ FX-10 UHPLC system and a PerkinElmer Series 200a Fluorescence detector, the extracted samples were analysed. Separation of the components in the samples was completed on a Brownlee Validated C8 Column (see Table 1).

The BPA analyzed with the given LC conditions eluted at 5.43 mins (Figure 3). The external standard calibration method was used. The UHPLC system was calibrated across a range of 1 – 50 ppb (µg/L) BPA (Table 2).

 A calibration graph was plotted. BPA in the extracts of the toy samples were quantified using the calibration curve generated during standard analysis (Table 3).
To ensure that the system was free from any contamination of BPA, blanks are injected and analysed between standard and samples.


Results
Figure 4 shows the chromatogram of the water extract of the toy dwarf sample.

Referring to table 3, toy samples which were submerged in water at 40 ˚C for 24 hours showed a much higher amount of BPA than in acid. In all the 3 water extraction from different toy samples, BPA was found within the calibration range of the standard curve.

Conclusion

Analysis in plastics is becoming more important due to health concerns over exposure to BPA. From this experiment, all 3 toy samples have BPA identified in it.


Source: http://www.perkinelmer.com/CMSResources/Images/44-74055app_BPAinToys.pdf