Bisphenol A (BPA) is a high production volume (HPV) chemical used as an intermediate to make polycarbonate (PC) plastics, epoxy resins, and the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A. Due to its potential adverse health effects, BPA has been banned in baby bottles and baby bottle liners by numerous jurisdictions including Health Canada. As a result, many alternatives to BPA have been introduced into the market. Most of these replacement compounds, such as 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)butane (BPB), 4,4′-dihydroxydiphenylmethane (BPF), and 4,4′- sulfonyldiphenol (BPS) are called BPA analogues (BPAAs) since they have similar chemical structures to BPA. Therefore, although their toxicity has not been fully studied, it could be similar to BPA’s. Several BPAAs have been found in food, serum, urine, receipts, sediments and house dust. House dust is a sink and repository for semi-volatile organic compounds and particle-bound organic matter. The goal of the present study was to develop a rapid and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of 16 BPAAs using gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS). The method detection limits (MDLs) were as low as 0.01 mg/g and the recoveries higher than 80% for the majority of the target compounds. Preliminary results from house dust samples (n=6) revealed that BPA, BPS, and BPF were predominant compounds and were detected in every sample, with median (range) concentrations of 3.59 (1.25-6.49) mg/g, 0.91 (0.61-2.07) mg/g, and 0.432 (0.01-1.75) mg/g respectively. Other targeted compounds were either not detected or detected at very low concentration and frequency. The method will be applied to generate baseline concentrations of BPAAs in dust samples collected under the Canadian House Dust Study.

Analysis of 16 bisphenol analogues in Canadian indoor house dust by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

2019 Fall National Meeting

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