Quick and simple sample treatment for multiresidue analysis of bisphenols, bisphenol diglycidyl ethers and their derivatives in canned food prior to liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection

• A generalized sample treatment for multiresidue analysis of bisphenols in canned food is developed.
• A supramolecular solvent consisting of inverted aggregates of tetradecanol is used for efficient analyte microextraction.
• Sample treatment is applicable to a wide range of food categories and matrix compositions.
• Method validation was carried out according the recommendations of the European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC.
• The method fit analytical and operational criteria to evaluate diet contribution to human exposure to bisphenols.

We report herein a multiresidue method for canned food determination of 12 bisphenols [bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol E (BPE)], bisphenol diglycidyl ethers [bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE), bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE)] and their derivatives [BADGE·2H2O, BADGE·H2O, BADGE·HCl·H2O, BADGE·HCl, BADGE·2HCl and BFDGE·2HCl]. The method was based on the microextraction of the target contaminants in 200 mg food sample with 600 μL of a supramolecular solvent made up of inverse aggregates of tetradecanol, followed by analysis of the extract by liquid chromatography/fluorescence detection using external calibration. Chromatographic separation of all target compounds, including the ortho–ortho, ortho–para and para–para isomers of BFDGE and BFDGE·2HCl, was achieved with baseline separation (Resolution ≥ 1.52). No concentration of the extracts was required, the microextraction took about 30 min and several samples could be simultaneous treated. Method validation was carried out according to the recommendations of the European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Quantitation limits for the different analytes ranged between 0.9 and 3.5 μg kg−1. Repeatability and reproducibility, expressed as relative standard deviation, were in the ranges 1.8–6.8% and 4.4–8.1%. The method was applied to the analysis of the target compounds in different food categories including vegetables, legumes, fruits, fish and seafood, meat product and grain. Recoveries in samples were within the range 80–110%. Only BPF and BPE were undetected in the canned food analyzed. The concentration found for the rest of bisphenols, diglycidyl ethers and derivatives was in the range 7.1–959 μg kg−1. The study of the isomeric distribution of BFDGE and BFDGE·2HCl in food showed that they are preferentially present as one of the isomeric forms, that highlighting for further studies. The analytical and operational characteristics of this multiresidue method make it suitable for monitoring programs intended for the assessment of human exposure to bisphenols, diglycidyl ethers and derivatives from diet.