Bisphenol A and other phenols in urine from Danish children and adolescents analyzed by isotope diluted TurboFlow-LC–MS/MS

Bisphenol A (BPA), triclosan (TCS), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), dichoro- and phenyl phenols are industrial chemicals present in numerous consumer products such as polycarbonate plastics, preservatives in personal care products, sun screens, pesticides and fungicides, respectively, and they are all suspected endocrine disrupters. In this study the urinary excretion of eight phenols in Danish children recruited from the general population were investigated. One 24 h urine and two consecutive first morning samples were collected from each of 129 healthy Danish children and adolescents (6–21 years). The concentrations of urinary phenols were analyzed by a new on-line TurboFlow-liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method. Most of the analyzed phenols were detectable in more than 80% of the 24 h urine samples and the median concentration of BPA, TCS, BP-3, 2,4-dichorophenol and 2,5-dichorophenol (analyzed as ∑DCP), 2-phenylphenol and 4-phenylphenol were 1.37, 1.45, 1.41, 0.65, 0.36 and 0.53 ng/mL, respectively. The ranges of the excreted TCS and BP-3 were wide; from below limit of detection to maximum levels of 955 ng/mL and 162 ng/mL, respectively, while the other phenols were excreted in a more narrow range with maximum levels below 25 ng/mL. Concentrations in first morning urine were in general higher than in 24 h urine and comprised 30–47% of the absolute amount excreted during 24 h. The youngest children aged 6–10 years had a significantly higher urinary BPA concentration (ng/mL) and also a relatively higher daily BPA excretion (ng/kg bw/24 h) than the older children and adolescents. The opposite pattern was observed for TCS, BP-3 and ∑DCP for which urinary levels increased significantly with age. No gender difference or associations to pubertal development were observed. In conclusion, our study showed that Danish children were exposed to multiple phenols simultaneously. Small children were relatively more exposed to BPA than older children, while higher exposures to TCS, BP-3 and ∑DCP were seen among adolescents.